Unsubscribe Handling
Every subscriber-facing Benecaster email includes an unsubscribe link in the footer. Subscribers who no longer want to receive non-transactional emails can opt out in one click.
How Subscribers Unsubscribe
Every email Benecaster sends to subscribers — including episode notifications and broadcasts from the Email Editor add-on — includes an unsubscribe link in the email footer. The exact link text can be customised but the link is always present.
The process:
- Subscriber clicks the unsubscribe link in the email footer
- A confirmation page loads explaining what will be unsubscribed
- Subscriber confirms
- Done — no further emails are sent except transactional messages
The one-click POST method (RFC 8058) is also supported. Gmail, Yahoo, and Apple Mail surface a native “Unsubscribe” button in their email interface when this header is present — clicking that button does not require visiting a confirmation page.
Two Levels of Unsubscribe
When a subscriber clicks the footer link, they are presented with a choice — or the link may be pre-scoped to one level depending on how it was generated:
| Level | What it stops |
|---|---|
| Broadcast opt-out | All non-transactional emails: episode notifications, broadcasts, digest emails. Transactional emails continue normally. |
| Full opt-out | All Benecaster emails without exception. Transactional emails (welcome, feed URL delivery, token reset) are also suppressed. |
Most footer links are scoped to broadcast opt-out — this is appropriate for subscribers who simply want fewer emails. The all level is available as an explicit choice on the confirmation page for subscribers who want a complete stop.
What Still Sends After Each Level
| Email type | After broadcast opt-out | After full opt-out |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome (new token) | Sends | Suppressed |
| Token reset (new feed URL) | Sends | Suppressed |
| Token revoked | Sends | Suppressed |
| Episode notifications | Suppressed | Suppressed |
| Broadcasts | Suppressed | Suppressed |
| Donation thank-you | Sends | Suppressed |
Note on full opt-out: Suppressing transactional emails means subscribers won’t receive their feed URL if they reset their token. This level is for subscribers who want all email from your site stopped entirely — they understand they’ll need to visit the account page directly to get their feed URL.
How to Re-subscribe
A subscriber who has opted out can re-subscribe at any time. The confirmation page shown when they click an unsubscribe link also includes a re-subscribe option if they are already opted out.
Alternatively, they can manage their preference via the Email preferences link that appears in place of the unsubscribe link once they have opted out.
For Podcasters: What You See
When a subscriber opts out, their engagement status in the Subscribers list is updated — the subscriber record remains, their subscription is unaffected, and their feed continues working. Only email delivery changes.
You cannot override a subscriber’s opt-out decision from the admin. This is by design.
If a subscriber has opted out but needs their feed URL (for example, after a token reset), direct them to the subscriber account page — they can retrieve their URL there without needing an email.
