RoadletterLITE
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Stage 02 of 10 (delayed)

A small newsletter tool for writers. Built in public.

I’m building a small newsletter tool you host yourself, one stage per week. Follow along, read the code, build your own.

Follow the build Read the code on GitHub (opens github.com)

Why

In an episode of the podcast AI & I (opens youtube.com), the writer Craig Mod talked about replacing a newsletter service that cost thousands of dollars a year with a small tool built on Amazon SES. Sending now costs around 150 dollars a year.

The idea had been on my mind for a long time, but it always seemed complex, and I never had the time. With AI and a good understanding of software and SaaS, trying it out takes a fraction of the effort. So how simple can a newsletter tool be that respects its readers, costs little and stays on the right side of the GDPR?

Roadletter Lite is my attempt to find out, built in the open, one stage per week. Others should be able to adapt it to their needs, get started quickly and focus on their writing.

Kay Spiegel (opens kayspiegel.com) Product consultant by day, maker by night

What it does

  • 01Double opt-in with proof of consent
  • 02A calm editor and one good email template
  • 03Sending through Amazon SES at a few euros a month
  • 04A public archive and RSS for every issue
  • 05GDPR tools built in: export, erasure, retention

What it doesn’t

  • No tracking
  • No pop-up newsletters
  • No installer
  • No hosted version

The full Roadletter product will add these. Lite stays small.

Roadmap

Eleven stages, one a week. Every finished stage gets a post on my blog and a release on GitHub.

2 of 11 done
  1. 00 Starting line Done
    Week 1 · Oct 19 – Oct 25 Build log post for stage 00 (opens Kay’s blog) Release v0.0-start for stage 00 (opens github.com)
  2. 01 Foundation Done
    Week 2 · Oct 26 – Nov 1 Build log post for stage 01 (opens Kay’s blog) Release v0.1-foundation for stage 01 (opens github.com)
  3. 02 Amazon SES Delayed
    Week 3 · Nov 2 – Nov 8 Post and release as soon as the stage is done.
  4. 03 Subscriptions and double opt-in Planned
    Week 4 · Nov 9 – Nov 15
  5. 04 Writing Planned
    Week 5 · Nov 16 – Nov 22
  6. 05 Delivery Planned
    Week 6 · Nov 23 – Nov 29
  7. 06 Bounces and complaints Planned
    Week 7 · Nov 30 – Dec 6
  8. 07 Archive and RSS Planned
    Week 8 · Dec 7 – Dec 13
  9. 08 GDPR tools Planned
    Week 9 · Dec 14 – Dec 20
  10. 09 Deploy Planned
    Week 10 · Dec 21 – Dec 27
  11. 10 Moving in and v1.0 Planned
    Week 11 · Dec 28 – Jan 3

Latest posts

Stage 01Nov 1, 2026 The smallest sensible Rails stack, behind Roadletter Lite (opens Kay’s blog) Stage 00Oct 26, 2026 Why I am building my own newsletter tool, in public (opens Kay’s blog) All posts on my blog (opens Kay’s blog)
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Cost

About €9 a month for 1,000 subscribers.

A small server with backups for about €7, sending four issues through Amazon SES for under €1, and a domain for about €1.