How to Build an AI-Powered Newsletter Digest for Free Using n8n & Gemini

Introduction

Information overload is a real problem in today’s digital world. Your inbox is inundated with dozens of newsletters, updates, and blog posts every day, ranging from startup funding rounds to AI news. It shouldn’t be necessary for a creator to drown in unread emails in order to stay informed.

What if artificial intelligence (AI) were used to automatically compile, condense, and deliver all of your favorite newsletters into a single, tidy daily digest?

In this tutorial, you’ll learn exactly how to build an AI-powered newsletter digest for free using three powerful tools: n8n (automation engine), Google Gemini (AI summarizer), and Hostinger VPS (affordable hosting).

At Creative Tech Africa, our mission is simple: to democratize AI and make innovation accessible to creators, students, and entrepreneurs across Africa. This guide shows you not just how to automate your knowledge intake, but also how to bridge the digital divide with creativity and free tools.

Why This Matters for African Tech Creators

Although many African innovators receive newsletters about fintech, AI, coding, and startups, they hardly ever have the time to read them all. The outcome? A cluttered inbox obscures important insights.

This project is important for the following reasons:

• Efficiency: Stop wasting hours scanning multiple sources. Get the key insights in one place.
• Affordability: You’ll use free or low-cost tools that fit African budgets.
• Empowerment: You decide which newsletters matter and how often you receive your digest.
• Innovation: It’s not just about consuming information — it’s about creating smarter systems that work for you.

By the end of this guide, you’ll not only understand how to set up your AI digest but also how to maintain it sustainably, even with limited resources.

Tools You’ll Need (All Free or Low-Cost)

Why These Tools

• n8n is an open-source alternative to Zapier — it’s free, visual, and powerful.
  
• Google Gemini offers free-tier access and handles long-text summarization beautifully.
  
• Hostinger VPS provides Nigerian-friendly pricing and global reliability.
  
• Gmail ensures your inputs are easy to collect and manage.

Step-by-Step Guide: Build Your Free AI-Powered Newsletter Digest

Step 1: Set Up Your VPS

1. Go to Hostinger and choose a VPS plan — the KVM 2 plan (~₦8,900/month) is ideal.
   
2. Choose Ubuntu 22.04 as your operating system.
   
3. Enable SSH access and secure your server (firewall + root password).
   
4. You’ll receive your IP, username, and credentials — keep them handy.

Step 2: Install n8n on your VPS

In your terminal, run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install docker-compose -y

Then create a docker-compose.yml file with:

version: '3'
services:
  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n
    ports:
      - "5678:5678"
    environment:
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=youruser
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=yourpass
    volumes:
      - ./data:/home/node/.n8n

Finally, start n8n:

docker-compose up -d

Now open your browser and visit http://your-vps-ip:5678.
You’ve just installed your personal automation engine for free.

Step 3: Create a Dedicated Gmail Account

• Create a new Gmail, e.g., afrotechdigest@gmail.com.
  
• Subscribe to your favorite newsletters — AI, tech, startups, or local innovation.
  
• Go to Google Cloud Console → APIs & Services → Enable Gmail API.
  
• Create OAuth credentials and save your Client ID & Secret for n8n.
  

This Gmail account will serve as the “inbox” for your digest automation.

Step 4: Get Your Google Gemini API Key

1. Visit Google AI Studio (aistudio.google.com).
   
2. Generate an API key for Gemini 2.5 Pro.
   
3. Copy it and store it safely — you’ll connect it to n8n later.

Step 5: Build Your Automation in n8n

Here’s the logic flow you’ll create:

1. Trigger (Schedule Node): Runs daily at a chosen time.
   
2. Fetch Messages (Gmail Node): Collects unread newsletters.
   
3. Mark as Read: Ensures the same email isn’t processed twice.
   
4. Aggregate Messages: Merges all newsletter text into one document.
   
5. Summarize with Gemini: Sends the content to Gemini for summary.
   
6. Format Output: Convert the summary to clean HTML.
   
7. Send Email Digest: Sends a neat summary to your main inbox.
   

Your n8n canvas will look like:

Trigger → Fetch Gmail → Mark Read → Aggregate → Gemini → HTML → Send Email

Step 6: Write the Gemini Prompt

Use this as your AI instruction in n8n:

“You will receive multiple newsletters in HTML format. Summarize them as bullet points, listing the main topics, trends, or news items. Add URLs when available. Sort by relevance or frequency. Output in clean HTML.”

This ensures Gemini produces a concise, readable daily digest.

Step 7: Test Your Workflow

• Click Execute Workflow in n8n.
  
• Wait for the run to complete.
  
• Open your inbox — you should see a beautiful, AI-summarized digest.
  
• If you notice duplicates or formatting issues, tweak your prompt slightly.

Step 8: Automate It

Once tested, activate the schedule trigger.
Now your digest will automatically run daily — saving you time and energy while keeping you informed.

Workflow Architecture (At a Glance)

Here’s how everything works together:

1. n8n VPS — orchestrates everything.
   
2. Gmail — provides the raw input.
   
3. Gemini — turns that chaos into clarity.
   
4. Your Email — receives the final, digestible summary.
   

This setup runs 24/7 — even when your PC is off.

Benefits & Trade-Offs

Benefits

• Save Time: Read one email instead of twenty.
• Stay Ahead: Daily summaries help you act fast on trends.
• Affordable: Run it for under ₦10,000/month.
• Empowering: Learn automation, AI prompting, and self-hosting

Trade-Offs

• Maintenance: VPS requires occasional updates.
• API Limits: Gemini free tier may have limits.
• Prompt Tuning: You might need to refine instructions for the best summaries.

At Creative Tech Africa, we encourage creators to see such trade-offs not as barriers but as learning opportunities — every challenge helps you grow more technically independent.

Real-World African Use Cases

Nigeria: A fintech blogger automates daily Central Bank news, startup funding, and fintech updates into one digest for quick analysis.

Kenya: A data science student collects global AI newsletters, summarizes them, and turns insights into weekly tutorials for YouTube.

Ghana: A tech community founder aggregates African startup news and sends a weekly digest to members — gaining followers and sponsorships.

Each use case demonstrates how AI + automation can empower individuals to turn information into impact.

Bonus Tip: Expand Your Digest

Once your system works, consider expanding:

• Add RSS Feeds (n8n supports this).
  
• Use Telegram or Slack nodes to send digests directly to a group.
  
• Integrate WordPress API to auto-publish weekly digests on your blog.
  
• Monetize by turning your digest into a newsletter brand (using Beehiiv or ConvertKit).
  

Automation is just the foundation — innovation is the goal.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You now have the complete blueprint for building an AI-powered newsletter digest for free using n8n, Gemini, and a Hostinger VPS.

This system helps African creators like you stay informed, save time, and stay competitive in a global tech world — all without expensive tools.

At Creative Tech Africa, we believe automation is more than convenience — it’s a bridge between potential and progress. When you automate knowledge consumption, you free your mind for creativity, leadership, and innovation.

Call to Action

Action Step: Pick your favorite newsletters, set up your Gmail, and build your first digest today.
Share Your Experience: Comment below — What newsletters are you summarizing? What’s your biggest challenge?
Join Us: Follow Creative Tech Africa for more free AI, automation, and digital innovation tutorials designed for African creators.