Picture this: a newsletter that writes itself, pulls the latest AI news, and lands in thousands of inboxes without you breaking a sweat. Sounds like a fever dream, right? Well, I turned it into reality using an automated newsletter with OpenAI + n8n, and it’s been a game-changer. As a tech enthusiast who’s allergic to repetitive tasks, I built a no-code system that scrapes, curates, and sends a daily AI-focused newsletter to 5,000 subscribers, saving me 15 hours a week. Want to know how I did it? Buckle up, because I’m spilling the entire playbook for this 2025 automation masterpiece.
Why an Automated Newsletter with OpenAI + n8n?
Newsletters are gold for building an audience, but curating content, writing, and sending emails manually is a time vampire. Enter OpenAI + n8n, the ultimate duo for automating content workflows. OpenAI’s GPT-4o crafts human-like text, while n8n, an open-source automation platform, connects apps like a digital puppet master. Together, they create a hands-off newsletter that rivals Morning Brew—without a team of writers. A 2024 Reddit post claimed a similar setup hit 10,000 subscribers, and my results aren’t far off. Let’s dive into the tools that made this magic happen.
The Power Stack: Tools Behind the Automation
Here’s the no-code lineup that powers my automated newsletter with OpenAI + n8n. Each tool plays a critical role, and they’re all beginner-friendly.
1. n8n: The Workflow Maestro
What It Does: n8n connects 400+ apps to automate tasks via visual workflows. It’s the backbone that orchestrates my newsletter pipeline.
How It Saves Time: n8n pulls news, triggers OpenAI, formats content, and sends emails, saving 8 hours a week of manual work.
Setup: I use n8n’s self-hosted version (free) with nodes for RSS, OpenAI, and Gmail. A daily Cron trigger kicks off the process.
Pro Tip: Start with n8n’s templates on n8n.io to skip the learning curve.
2. OpenAI GPT-4o: The Content Genius
What It Does: GPT-4o generates newsletter text, from headlines to summaries, based on prompts fed through n8n.
How It Saves Time: Writing a 500-word newsletter manually takes hours; GPT-4o does it in minutes, saving 5 hours a week.
Setup: I use OpenAI’s API with n8n’s OpenAI node, fine-tuning prompts for a witty, conversational tone.
Pro Tip: Run outputs through Originality.ai to ensure they pass AI detection for authenticity.
3. RSS.app: The News Fetcher
What It Does: RSS.app creates custom RSS feeds from sources like Reddit, Hacker News, and AI blogs (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic).
How It Saves Time: It aggregates news daily, sparing me 2 hours a week of manual sourcing.
Setup: n8n’s RSS Feed node pulls data every 3 hours, ensuring fresh content.
Pro Tip: Use RSS.app’s filters to target specific keywords like “AI breakthroughs” for relevance.
4. Gmail: The Delivery Driver
What It Does: Gmail sends the formatted newsletter to subscribers via n8n’s Gmail node.
How It Saves Time: Automating email delivery eliminates manual sends, saving 1 hour a week.
Setup: I use Gmail’s SMTP credentials in n8n for secure delivery.
Pro Tip: Use a custom HTML template in n8n’s Code node for branded, clickable newsletters.
5. Cloudflare R2: The Data Lake
What It Does: Cloudflare’s S3-compatible storage saves scraped news as markdown files for easy retrieval.
How It Saves Time: Organized storage streamlines content processing, saving 1 hour a week.
Setup: n8n pushes scraped data to R2 daily, tagged by date and source.
Pro Tip: Use R2’s free tier to keep costs near zero.
The Workflow: How It All Comes Together
Here’s the step-by-step breakdown of my automated newsletter with OpenAI + n8n workflow, producing a daily AI newsletter in three phases:
Content Sourcing (Daily, 6 AM):
n8n’s Cron node triggers the workflow.
RSS Feed nodes fetch articles from RSS.app feeds (Reddit’s r/AI, Hacker News, OpenAI blog).
n8n’s HTTP Request node scrapes full articles using Firecrawl API if summaries are incomplete.
Scraped content is cleaned and saved as markdown in Cloudflare R2.
Content Curation and Writing (Daily, 7 AM):
n8n retrieves the day’s markdown files from R2.
OpenAI’s GPT-4o analyzes content, selecting 3–4 top stories based on relevance and impact.
GPT-4o writes a 500-word newsletter with sections: Headlines, Top Stories, Tools & Tips, and Stats.
n8n’s Code node formats the text into a branded HTML email template.
Delivery and Tracking (Daily, 8 AM):
n8n’s Gmail node sends the newsletter to subscribers via SMTP.
A Google Sheets node logs sent emails and subscriber data for analytics.
n8n notifies me via Discord if errors occur (e.g., API rate limits).
This setup runs like clockwork, delivering a polished newsletter daily with zero manual input after setup.
The Results: 5,000 Subscribers and Counting
After three months, my newsletter hit 5,000 subscribers, with a 40% open rate and $1,200/month in affiliate revenue from AI tools like Copy.ai. Traffic to my blog (linked in the newsletter) grew 120%, and I spend just 2 hours a week tweaking prompts or adding sources. A 2025 Reddit post reported a similar n8n setup reaching 10,000 subscribers, proving this model scales.
Monetization: Making It Pay
My newsletter isn’t just a passion project—it’s a side hustle. Here’s how it earns:
Affiliate Links: I embed links for AI tools (e.g., n8n, OpenAI), earning $20–$100 per signup.
Sponsored Content: Brands pay $200–$500 for shoutouts, drafted by GPT-4o.
Premium Subscriptions: A $5/month tier offers exclusive AI reports, netting $500/month from 100 subscribers.
The Catch: What’s Not So Automated
This isn’t a “set it and forget it” deal. Initial setup took 5 hours, and I tweak prompts monthly to keep content fresh. OpenAI’s API costs $10–$20/month for high usage, and RSS.app’s Pro plan is $8/month. Google’s AI content policies mean I check outputs with ZeroGPT to avoid detection flags (90% pass as human). Plus, subscriber growth requires occasional manual promotion on X or Reddit.
How to Build Your Own Automated Newsletter
Ready to create your automated newsletter with OpenAI + n8n? Here’s your no-code roadmap:
Install n8n: Use the free self-hosted version via Docker. Follow n8n’s docs for setup.
Set Up APIs: Get API keys for OpenAI, RSS.app, and Gmail SMTP. Store securely in n8n’s credentials.
Build the Workflow: Clone n8n’s “AI News Newsletter” template or build from scratch with these nodes:
Cron Trigger (daily schedule)
RSS Feed (source content)
OpenAI (content generation)
Code (HTML formatting)
Gmail (email delivery)
Test and Tweak: Run the workflow manually to check outputs. Adjust GPT-4o prompts for tone and length.
Grow Subscribers: Promote on X, Reddit, or your blog. Use a free Mailchimp signup form to collect emails.
Monetize: Add affiliate links or a Substack-style paid tier once you hit 1,000 subscribers.
Pro Tip: Start with one newsletter a week to perfect the workflow before going daily.
Why This Matters in 2025
The automated newsletter with OpenAI + n8n isn’t just about saving time—it’s about scaling impact. A 2024 X post noted AI newsletters are trending as creators seek low-effort audience growth. My setup proves you don’t need a big team or budget to compete. Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or hobbyist, this stack lets you build a media empire on autopilot.
Your Turn to Automate.
I’m not saying my newsletter will win a Pulitzer, but it’s engaging, timely, and earns while I sleep. The automated newsletter with OpenAI + n8n is your ticket to building a scalable side hustle without coding or slaving over content. Start small, tweak as you go, and watch your inbox become a cash machine. What’s stopping you from automating your own newsletter today?
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