LISTSERV Feature Checklist
Licenses and Technical Support
LISTSERV provides high performance and flexible licensing to meet your current and future needs. Our professional technical support services are always available for help and advice to keep your email lists running smoothly.
| Show All |
Classic |
Lite |
| Multiple License Sizes
LISTSERV is available in multiple license sizes, making the software ideally suited for small and large customers alike. Upgrading to a larger license is always easy.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Technical Support
LISTSERV customers can sign up for technical support, which provides speedy, personal assistance from L-Soft's support staff. LISTSERV Classic and HPO customers also have access to free upgrades.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Software Tune-Up
Customers with technical support are eligible for a free annual tune-up service to ensure that they are running the latest version and that all systems are configured for optimal performance.
|
Yes |
No |
List Management and Archives
The web interface and automated email list, subscriber and bounce management save you time and make list administration a breeze. Searchable list archives are easily accessible and available in multiple viewing modes depending on the purpose of your list.
| Show All |
Classic |
Lite |
| Web Interface
The responsive web interface greatly simplifies email list management, allowing list owners to control their lists from anywhere and on any device, including tablets and smartphones.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Support for All List Types
LISTSERV supports all types of mailing lists, including email newsletters, announcement lists and both moderated and unmoderated discussion groups and forums.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Flexible List Security Options
LISTSERV includes flexible list security options. Email lists can be completely open to the public or closed so that only the list owner can add subscribers.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Moderation Sharing
LISTSERV allows for moderation sharing, which means that moderation duties can be shared among multiple designated moderators.
|
Yes |
No |
| Searchable List Archives
LISTSERV automatically maintains searchable message archives for subscribers with three viewing modes to choose from (Classic, Forum and Blog View).
|
Yes |
Yes* |
| RSS Support
LISTSERV allows subscribers to view the list archives using an RSS reader. RSS abstracts are generated automatically from the text of the message, or they may be specified explicitly.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Automatic Subscription Handling
LISTSERV allows people to automatically subscribe, unsubscribe and maintain their subscription settings on a single screen using the web interface.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Multiple Subscription Modes
Subscribers can select how they prefer to receive messages: as individual messages that are distributed as soon as they come in or as periodical digests or indexes.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Double Opt-In Support
LISTSERV supports the double opt-in subscription procedure. Once a person requests to subscribe to a list, a confirmation email is sent to the supplied email address asking the person to verify the request.
|
Yes |
Yes |
One-Click Unsubscribe 
LISTSERV supports RFC 8058, allowing recipient ISPs to place a one-click unsubscribe button in their email clients for an unambiguous way to unsubscribe from mailing lists.
|
Yes |
No |
| Automatic Bounce Handling
LISTSERV automatically takes care of email delivery errors or bounces, which saves time and eliminates the hassle of manually deleting subscribers.
|
Yes |
Yes* |
| Customizable Mail Templates
Mail templates, including subscription confirmations, welcome and good-bye messages and other administrative messages can be fully customized or translated.
|
Yes |
No |
| Content Filter
The content filter can be configured by the list owner to automatically reject messages with unwanted or inappropriate content from getting posted to a list.
|
Yes |
No |
| Attachment Filter
The attachment filter allows list owners to determine which types of attachments are permissible and which types should be filtered and denied.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Topics
Topics allow list owners to establish sublists based on a narrower aspect of the subject matter. Subscribers can then subscribe and only receive messages related to topics of interest.
|
Yes |
No |
| Superlists and Sublists
LISTSERV supports superlists, which are container lists for a set of sublists. When posting to the superlist, the message will be distributed to all subscribers of the sublists with duplicates automatically suppressed.
|
Yes |
No |
* Limited in LISTSERV Lite
Configuration and Reports
Easy configuration and comprehensive reports on site and list activity keep you in full control of your lists at all times. Full user interface customization is available to support your brand and graphic profile, adding familiarity and trust for your subscribers.
| Show All |
Classic |
Lite |
| Server Administrator Dashboard
The server administrator dashboard displays status information about the LISTSERV site, including availability of upgrades, technical support as well as license and maintenance expiration alerts.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Site Configuration Wizard
The site configuration wizard allows LISTSERV administrators to make site configuration changes on the fly directly through the web interface.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| List Creation Wizard
The list creation wizard enables quick and easy creation of email lists of every type without the need to learn complicated list configuration keywords.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Customization Interface
The customization interface makes it easy to customize the web interface and list archives to reflect an organization's brand for a unified visual profile and an enhanced user experience.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Server Activity Reports
Administrators can generate detailed reports about the activity on the LISTSERV site, including number of messages sent, number of bounces received and overall bandwidth usage.
|
Yes |
No |
| List Owner Dashboard
The list owner dashboard provides at-a-glance information about lists, including a customizable list configuration report and information about messages awaiting moderation.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| List Administration Wizard
The list administration wizard provides list owners with a user-friendly interface for modifying list configuration settings without the need to learn complicated list configuration paramaters.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| List Reports
Site administrators and list owners can generate customizable reports and manage the configuration of all lists and subscribers on a single screen.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Subscriber Activity Reports
LISTSERV can create subscriber activity reports that tabulate the number of posted messages, subscriptions and signoffs as well as other subscriber activities.
|
Yes |
No |
| GDPR Reporting Tool
LISTSERV comes with a companion script to help organizations with EU GDPR compliance. The script scans all list archives, changelogs and subscriptions, producing a report that lists every instance of an individual's personal data on the LISTSERV server.
|
Yes |
Yes |
Content Development
The newsletter library and builder make it simple to create customized and branded HTML newsletters without any coding. The fully responsive message templates adjust to screens of any size, providing a smooth and enjoyable reader experience.
| Show All |
Classic |
Lite |
| Message Posting Interface
The message posting interface allows subscribers to easily post messages to a list and upload attachments. It includes an integrated visual editor for easy creation of HTML content.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| HTML Newsletter Library
LISTSERV comes with a library of more than 75 responsive newsletter and announcement templates, offering a variety of layout styles and color schemes that can be used as-is or modified as needed.
|
Yes |
No |
| HTML Newsletter Builder
The newsletter template builder allows list owners to design eye-catching and fully responsive HTML newsletters and announcements without coding experience.
|
Yes |
No |
| Message Scheduling
The message scheduling option allows senders to schedule the delivery of their newsletters and announcements at a specific time and date, without having to be present at the time of delivery.
|
Yes |
No |
| Message Testing
LISTSERV allows list owners to send formal test messages of their newsletters before delivery and to run a content analysis to evaluate the likelihood that the message will be viewed as spam by receiving mail systems.
|
Yes |
No |
| Easy Compliance with Anti-Spam Regulations
LISTSERV makes it easy to comply with typical anti-spam regulations in different countries, including the EU GDPR. Contact details, legal information and unsubscribe links can be automatically added to all messages for full compliance.
|
Yes |
Yes |
Deliverability and Security
The cutting-edge deliverability and authentication features of LISTSERV ensure that your messages reach their destinations, and the built-in virus and spam filters keep your lists and subscribers secure.
| Show All |
Classic |
Lite |
| Deliverability Assessment
LISTSERV offers a deliverability assessment, which analyzes LISTSERV and DNS configurations, including DKIM, SPF and Sender ID, giving site administrators concrete suggestions on improving deliverability.
|
Yes |
No |
| DKIM Support
LISTSERV supports DKIM, which is a cryptographic authentication solution that adds signatures to email messages, allowing recipient sites to verify that the message was sent by an authorized sender.
|
Yes |
No |
| DMARC Compatibility
LISTSERV discussion lists allow private replies and are fully compatible with subscribers whose email providers have implemented aggressive DMARC policies.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Integrated Virus Protection
LISTSERV is the only software of its kind with built-in virus protection. The system scans all messages for viruses before delivery, offering another layer of email list and subscriber inbox protection.
|
Yes |
No |
| Built-In Blacklist/Whitelist
LISTSERV offers an integrated blacklist/whitelist system, which site administrators can use to reduce the amount of spam reaching a LISTSERV site.
|
Yes |
No |
| Third-Party Spam Filter Compatibility
In addition to the built-in spam filters, LISTSERV also offers a mechanism to connect to third-party spam filters, such as SpamAssassin, which can scan all messages processed by LISTSERV.
|
Yes |
No |
| Spam Feedback Loops
LISTSERV can automatically process spam feedback loop reports and implement the actions required by the whitelist agreement of the recipient site.
|
Yes |
No |
| Captcha Support
LISTSERV offers built-in support for multiple Captcha solutions to secure the public login, new password and subscription functions for an added layer of protection from bots.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Rate-Limiting
The configurable rate-limiting settings can be used to safeguard the web interface from bots and abuse.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Access Restriction by IP Address
As an extra security measure, administrators can limit access to the password-protected web interface and list archives to a local domain area or to a specifically defined range of IP addresses.
|
Yes |
No |
| LISTSERV Backbone Distribution
The LISTSERV backbone distribution mechanism conserves connection bandwidth and improves email delivery efficiency worldwide by connecting to other machines running LISTSERV.
|
Yes |
No |
| Peered Lists
The site administrator can peer lists between countries to optimize local email delivery efficiency.
|
Yes |
No |
Database Integration
The database integration features allow you take advantage of your existing databases for dynamic and personalized mailings. Databases and LDAP servers can also be used for authenticating credentials and user logins within large and complex organizations.
| Show All |
Classic |
Lite |
| Database Connectivity
LISTSERV can connect with most ODBC-compliant (Windows and Unix) databases; Microsoft SQL Server; IBM DB2; ORACLE; and MySQL, allowing organizations to take advantage of their existing databases.
|
Yes |
No |
| LDAP Support
LISTSERV can connect to LDAP servers to authenticate user logins, to insert LDAP attributes in mail-merge distributions and to implement dynamic queries.
|
Yes |
No |
| Dynamic Queries
LISTSERV can execute on-demand dynamic queries against either LDAP or traditional DBMS servers and use the results for access control and mail delivery.
|
Yes |
No |
| API Support
LISTSERV has a built-in API, allowing external applications to interact directly with LISTSERV.
|
Yes |
No |
| Mail-Merge Support
LISTSERV enables personalized email messaging, or mail-merge, when used in conjunction with a database. Any SMTP server can be used to conduct mail-merge.
|
Yes |
No |
LISTSERV Overview Feature Checklist
Operating Systems Hardware Requirements
License Sizes and Pricing Technical Support
Remote Installation Renewal Details
Upgrade Center Test Licenses
LISTSERV Demo Request Information
LISTSERV is a registered trademark licensed to L-Soft international, Inc.
See Guidelines for Proper Usage of the LISTSERV Trademark for more details.
All other trademarks, both marked and unmarked, are the property of their respective owners.
