Nonprofit email marketing operates under different constraints than commercial email marketing. You are not trying to sell a product—you are building donor relationships, mobilizing volunteers, announcing events, and reporting on impact. Your budget is grant-funded or donation-dependent, your team is often stretched thin, and the wrong platform choice can drain resources that should go toward mission delivery.
In 2026, the gap between “commercial” and “nonprofit-friendly” email platforms has narrowed—but significant differences remain in discount structures, free plan generosity, and which features actually serve nonprofit communication needs. We evaluated seven platforms on these criteria: nonprofit discount policy, free plan utility, automation depth, deliverability, ease of use for small teams, and total annual cost at realistic nonprofit list sizes.
Here is what your organization should actually use.
In a hurry? Here’s the short version:
- Best budget pick with nonprofit discount: Moosend — 25% nonprofit discount stackable with 20% annual discount; plans from $9/month; all features on every plan
- Best known, most integrations: Mailchimp — 15% nonprofit discount (industry’s lowest); free plan for 500 contacts; best third-party integration ecosystem
- Best for small nonprofits starting out: AWeber — 3 free months + 25% ongoing discount for nonprofits; free plan for 500 subscribers; simple automation
- Best for large donor lists (pay-per-send): Brevo — unlimited contacts on all plans including free; pay for emails sent, not contacts stored
- Best for events & phone support: Constant Contact — 20–30% nonprofit discount (requires prepay); best built-in event management
- Best for newsletter-focused orgs: Beehiiv — built for newsletter growth and monetization; free plan up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends
- Best design + 30% discount: MailerLite — 30% nonprofit discount; gorgeous templates; free plan for 500 contacts; strong automation
Quick Comparison Table
| Platform | Our Rating | Nonprofit Discount | Free Plan | Starting Price (paid) | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moosend | 4.7/5 | 25% (stackable) | ✅ 30-day trial | $9/month (500 contacts) | Check Price |
| Mailchimp | 4.0/5 | 15% | ✅ 500 contacts, 1,000/mo | $13/month (500 contacts) | Check Price |
| AWeber | 4.3/5 | 3 months free + 25% | ✅ 500 subscribers | $15/month (500 subscribers) | Check Price |
| Brevo | 4.4/5 | 15% (Enterprise only) | ✅ Unlimited contacts, 300/day | $9/month (5,000 sends) | Check Price |
| Constant Contact | 3.9/5 | 20–30% (prepay required) | ❌ No free plan | $12/month (Lite, 500 contacts) | Check Price |
| Beehiiv | 4.5/5 | Not disclosed | ✅ 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends | $43/month (Scale, 1,000 subs+) | Check Price |
| MailerLite | 4.6/5 | 30% | ✅ 500 contacts, 12,000/mo | $10/month (500 contacts) | Check Price |
| Klaviyo | 3.3/5 | Not standardized (contact support) | 250 contacts, 500/mo | $20/month (500 contacts) | Check Price |
Prices shown are monthly billed annually before nonprofit discounts. Free plan contact limits and send limits vary—see individual sections for details.
1. Moosend — Best Budget Email Marketing for Nonprofits
Best for: Budget-conscious nonprofits that want advanced automation and deliverability at a price point typically reserved for platforms half as capable—and who qualify for one of the most generous stackable nonprofit discounts in the industry.
Pricing (After Nonprofit Discount)
| Contacts | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Nonprofit Rate (25% additional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $9/month | $7/month (billed annually) | ~$5.25/month (annual + nonprofit) |
| 1,000 | $16/month | $13/month | ~$9.75/month |
| 5,000 | $48/month | $38/month | ~$28.50/month |
| 10,000 | $88/month | $70/month | ~$52.50/month |
| 25,000 | $160/month | $128/month | ~$96/month |
Moosend’s nonprofit discount (25%) is stackable with the annual billing discount (20%)—apply both for maximum savings. Contact Moosend directly with 501(c)(3) documentation to apply.
Pros
- 25% nonprofit discount stackable with annual discount—effectively the lowest all-in price of any platform in this comparison with full features
- All features included on every paid plan—no feature tiering based on price; nonprofits get automation, landing pages, and transactional email from the base plan
- Unlimited email sends on all plans—no per-send charges or send limits that punish high-frequency communication
- Advanced automation workflows with visual builder—comparable to platforms costing 3x more
- Excellent deliverability rates consistently reported by independent testing services
Cons
- No permanent free plan—the 30-day trial is the only free tier; nonprofits on tight budgets who need free-forever must look elsewhere (Brevo or Mailchimp)
- Smaller brand recognition means fewer third-party integrations than Mailchimp—check that your CRM or donation platform integrates before committing
- Template library, while functional, is smaller than Mailchimp or MailerLite
- Landing page builder is included but less polished than dedicated tools like Unbounce
Key Features for Nonprofits
- Automation workflows: Build multi-step donor journeys—welcome sequences, donation thank-you follow-ups, lapsed donor re-engagement—with a visual drag-and-drop builder included on all plans.
- Segmentation: Segment your donor list by giving history, engagement level, geographic location, or custom tags—send the right message to the right supporter without manual list management.
- Landing page builder: Create donation pages, volunteer signup forms, and event registration pages within Moosend—no separate page builder subscription needed.
- SMTP server for transactional email: Send donation receipts, event confirmations, and automated replies via Moosend’s SMTP—all tracked and logged in one platform.
- Detailed reporting: Open rates, click rates, revenue attribution, and heatmaps on all plans—measure donor engagement without purchasing a separate analytics tool.
Our Take
Moosend is the best-kept secret in nonprofit email marketing. At $5.25/month for 500 contacts with the stacked annual + nonprofit discount, it delivers automation capability that Mailchimp charges $51/month to match (after Mailchimp’s weaker 15% nonprofit discount). The main trade-off is the lack of a permanent free plan—if your budget is literally $0, look at Brevo or Mailchimp’s free tier first. But if you have any budget at all and want the most feature value per dollar in this comparison, Moosend wins.
Try Moosend Free for 30 Days →
2. Mailchimp — Best Known Platform with the Most Integrations
Best for: Nonprofits with 500 contacts or fewer who can stay on the free plan indefinitely, or organizations that prioritize third-party integrations above all else—Mailchimp connects to more tools than any platform in this comparison.
Pricing (After 15% Nonprofit Discount)
| Contacts | Plan | Regular Price | After 15% Nonprofit Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 500 | Free | $0 | $0 (no discount on free) |
| 500 | Essentials | $13/month | $11.05/month |
| 2,500 | Standard | $60/month | $51/month |
| 5,000 | Standard | $100/month | $85/month |
| 10,000 | Standard | $135/month | $114.75/month |
| 10,000+ | Premium | $350/month | $297.50/month |
Important: Request the nonprofit discount before purchasing a paid plan—it cannot be applied retroactively. Submit 501(c)(3) documentation via Mailchimp’s billing contact form. The discount does not apply to add-ons, SMS, or transactional email. Mailchimp also charges for unsubscribed contacts unless manually archived—verify your actual billable count before upgrading.
Pros
- The most widely recognized email platform—volunteers and board members are likely already familiar with it, reducing training time
- Largest integration ecosystem of any platform in this comparison: Salesforce, Eventbrite, WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify, Bloomerang, and 300+ more
- Free plan supports 500 contacts and 1,000 sends/month with no time limit—viable for small nonprofits with modest outreach
- Excellent pre-built email templates including nonprofit-specific designs
- Advanced analytics including predicted demographics and purchase likelihood on Standard plan
Cons
- 15% nonprofit discount is the lowest in this comparison—MailerLite and Moosend offer 30% and 25% respectively
- Mailchimp counts unsubscribed contacts against your plan limit unless you manually archive them—true cost is often higher than the advertised tier suggests
- Free plan limitations are real: no multi-step automations, no email scheduling, Mailchimp branding on all emails, 30-day-only customer support
- Pricing climbs steeply as contact lists grow—a nonprofit with 5,000 contacts pays $85/month after the discount; Moosend charges ~$28.50/month for the same size with stacked discounts
- For nonprofits with 2,500+ contacts and meaningful automation needs, Mailchimp is among the most expensive options here
Key Features for Nonprofits
- Nonprofit-specific templates: Pre-built email templates for donation appeals, event announcements, volunteer recruitment, and impact reports—reduce design time for small teams.
- Eventbrite integration: Sync event registrations directly with your Mailchimp list; automatically segment by event attendance—essential for nonprofits that run regular fundraisers or community events.
- Audience segmentation: Create segments by donation history, engagement level, geographic location, and custom tags—basic segmentation available on the free plan.
- Customer Journey Builder: Visual automation builder for multi-step email sequences—available on Standard plan; not on Essentials or free.
- Multivariate testing: Test up to 8 variations of subject lines and content simultaneously on Standard and Premium—data-driven optimization for high-stakes fundraising campaigns.
Our Take
Mailchimp’s reputation is larger than its nonprofit value proposition. The 15% discount is the industry’s stingiest, the unsubscribed contact billing is a genuine gotcha, and the pricing at list sizes above 1,000 contacts is materially higher than Moosend or MailerLite with their nonprofit discounts. Where Mailchimp earns its place is integrations—if your nonprofit uses Salesforce for donor management, Eventbrite for events, or Bloomerang for fundraising, Mailchimp’s native connectors are genuinely better than alternatives. Stay on the free plan as long as your list is under 500 contacts. When you grow beyond that, benchmark the actual annual cost against Moosend and MailerLite with discounts before committing to paid Mailchimp.
3. AWeber — Best for Small Nonprofits Getting Started
Best for: Small nonprofits and religious organizations that are just beginning email marketing and want a structured, hands-on onboarding experience with a genuinely generous nonprofit deal—3 free months plus 25% ongoing discount.
Pricing (After Nonprofit Discount)
| Subscribers | Regular Monthly Price | After 25% Nonprofit Discount | Nonprofit Deal: First 3 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 500 | Free (Lite plan) | $0 | Free forever (Lite) |
| 500 | $15/month (Plus) | $11.25/month | $0 for first 3 months |
| 2,500 | $30/month | $22.50/month | $0 for first 3 months |
| 5,000 | $50/month | $37.50/month | $0 for first 3 months |
| 10,000 | $80/month | $60/month | $0 for first 3 months |
To claim the nonprofit deal, submit 501(c)(3) documentation (or equivalent) to help@aweber.com when opening your account. The 25% ongoing discount applies to all invoices after the free 3-month period.
Pros
- 3 months free for new nonprofit accounts—the most generous upfront deal in this comparison; meaningful for cash-flow-sensitive organizations
- 25% ongoing discount after the free period—competes with Moosend’s stackable discount at standard annual rates
- Free plan (Lite) supports 500 subscribers with unlimited sends—no artificial monthly send cap on the free tier
- Excellent reputation for deliverability—AWeber has been focused on inbox deliverability since 1998 and it shows in consistent open rate performance
- 24/7 customer support via phone, live chat, and email—more support channels than any other platform in this comparison
Cons
- Interface feels dated compared to Moosend, MailerLite, or Beehiiv—the design aesthetic has not kept pace with newer platforms
- Automation features on the Lite (free) plan are minimal—complex workflows require the Plus plan
- Charges for unsubscribed subscribers (like Mailchimp) unless you actively clean your list—affects true cost at larger list sizes
- Template design quality is inconsistent; some look modern, others feel like 2015
- Landing page builder is functional but basic compared to Moosend or MailerLite’s more polished page tools
Key Features for Nonprofits
- 3 months free onboarding: Start building your donor list, creating email sequences, and running campaigns for 90 days at no cost—long enough to evaluate real impact before your first invoice.
- Nonprofit-specific email templates: Pre-built templates for fundraising appeals, impact reports, volunteer recruitment, and event announcements—ready to customize with your mission and branding.
- Campaign automation: Triggered email sequences based on subscriber actions—new donor welcome series, event reminder sequences, lapsed donor re-engagement campaigns—available on Plus plan.
- AMP for email: Interactive email elements (donation forms, event RSVPs) within the email itself—reduces friction for supporters by eliminating the landing page click.
- Web push notifications: Send push notifications to website visitors even when they are not reading email—additional touchpoint for donor engagement included on paid plans.
Our Take
AWeber’s nonprofit deal is structured in a way that respects the reality of nonprofit fundraising: you do not receive email marketing revenue immediately, so you should not have to pay immediately. Three months free followed by a 25% ongoing discount is a genuinely thoughtful policy—better than Mailchimp’s inadequate 15% and comparable to Moosend’s stackable discounts. The platform’s interface is not the most modern, but its deliverability reputation is excellent and its 24/7 support—including phone support—makes it approachable for small organizations without dedicated IT staff. If you are a nonprofit new to email marketing, the free 3-month trial at AWeber is one of the most risk-free starting points available.
Get 3 Free Months at AWeber for Nonprofits →
4. Brevo (Sendinblue) — Best for Large Donor Lists
Best for: Nonprofits with large contact databases (5,000+ supporters) who send emails infrequently—Brevo’s unlimited-contacts pricing model means you pay for what you send, not what you store.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Contacts | Monthly Sends | Nonprofit Discount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Unlimited | 9,000 (300/day) | N/A (already free) |
| Starter | $9/month | Unlimited | 5,000 | No nonprofit discount |
| Business | $18/month | Unlimited | 20,000 | No nonprofit discount |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Custom | 15% (larger nonprofits) |
Brevo’s nonprofit discount applies only to Enterprise plan; smaller nonprofits benefit from the free plan’s unlimited contacts rather than a discount on paid tiers.
Pros
- Unlimited contacts on all plans including free—the only platform in this comparison where your contact database size does not determine your bill
- Free plan offers 9,000 emails/month (300/day)—sufficient for many small nonprofits to operate indefinitely without paying
- Built-in CRM included at no extra cost—track donor interactions, notes, and communication history without a separate tool
- SMS marketing included alongside email—send event reminders, urgent appeals, or donation confirmations via text from the same platform
- Transactional email (donation receipts, confirmation emails) via Brevo SMTP—no separate tool needed
Cons
- Daily send cap of 300 on the free plan means 9,000/month—time-sensitive campaigns (emergency appeals, event day announcements) can be delayed by the daily limit
- No dedicated nonprofit discount below Enterprise level—for paid plans, it is simply the standard Starter/Business pricing
- Automation features are behind competitors at the Starter tier; meaningful workflow automation requires the Business plan
- Template library is smaller than Mailchimp or AWeber; design quality is adequate but not exceptional
- The 300 emails/day free limit means a nonprofit with 1,000 donors cannot send a single campaign blast in one day on the free plan
Key Features for Nonprofits
- Unlimited contact database: Import your entire donor, volunteer, and community list without cost scaling—a nonprofit with 50,000 contacts pays the same as one with 500 contacts at each price tier.
- Built-in CRM: Track donor contact history, set follow-up reminders, and manage relationships across your team—meaningfully reduces the need for a separate donor management system for small nonprofits.
- SMS + email campaigns: Run multi-channel campaigns from one platform—send a fundraising email, then follow up with an SMS reminder to non-openers, all within Brevo.
- Marketing automation: Trigger-based email sequences for donor onboarding, event registrations, and anniversary follow-ups—available on Business plan.
- WhatsApp campaigns: Send WhatsApp messages to supporters in regions where WhatsApp is the primary communication channel—unique feature not found in most email platforms.
Our Take
Brevo’s unlimited-contact pricing model is genuinely disruptive for nonprofits with large community databases. If your organization has built a list of 10,000+ contacts over years of community engagement but only sends monthly newsletters, Brevo’s Starter plan at $9/month is dramatically cheaper than Mailchimp ($85/month after discount at 10K contacts) or Moosend ($52.50/month after stacked discount). The free plan’s 300 emails/day limit is the critical caveat: it prevents bulk campaign sends on the same day. If your campaigns can be time-shifted across 3–5 days, the free plan handles up to 9,000 sends monthly at zero cost—enough for many small nonprofits to operate indefinitely. The lack of a broader nonprofit discount (only on Enterprise) is a missed opportunity that holds Brevo back from a higher overall ranking here.
5. Constant Contact — Best for Nonprofit Events & Phone Support
Best for: Nonprofits that run frequent events—galas, fundraisers, community programs, volunteer orientations—and need integrated RSVP management, ticket sales, and automated reminders built into their email platform.
Pricing (After Nonprofit Discount)
| Plan | Regular Price | 20% Off (6-month prepay) | 30% Off (12-month prepay) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite (500 contacts) | $12/month | $9.60/month | $8.40/month |
| Standard (500 contacts) | $35/month | $28/month | $24.50/month |
| Standard (2,500 contacts) | $75/month | $60/month | $52.50/month |
| Standard (5,000 contacts) | $110/month | $88/month | $77/month |
| Premium (500 contacts) | $80/month | $64/month | $56/month |
Constant Contact’s nonprofit discount requires prepayment: 20% off with 6-month prepay, 30% off with 12-month prepay. No discount on monthly billing. No free plan. Call 866-511-1966 to apply nonprofit pricing before purchasing—cannot be applied retroactively.
Pros
- Best built-in event management of any platform in this comparison—RSVP tracking, ticket sales, automated event reminders, and attendee list management without third-party tools
- Phone support: 855-285-0211—the easiest to reach human support in this comparison, important for small nonprofits without dedicated tech support
- Drag-and-drop email builder is polished and beginner-friendly; large library of professionally designed templates
- Social media advertising integration—boost fundraising campaigns on Facebook and Instagram directly from the Constant Contact dashboard
- List segmentation and growth tools including QR code sign-up sheets—useful for in-person events to capture new supporter emails
Cons
- No free plan—minimum $12/month (Lite) before any discount; Mailchimp, AWeber, Brevo, and MailerLite all offer permanent free tiers
- The 30% nonprofit discount requires prepaying a full year upfront—cash flow strain for nonprofits that operate month-to-month
- Lite plan lacks email scheduling and advanced segmentation—pushing most serious users to the Standard plan at $35/month base
- Pricing at scale is high: 5,000 contacts on Standard runs $110/month ($77/month with 30% discount)—Moosend handles the same list for ~$28.50/month with stacked discounts
- Automations are more limited than Moosend, Mailchimp Standard, or MailerLite at comparable price points
Key Features for Nonprofits
- Event management suite: Create event pages, manage RSVPs, sell tickets (free and paid), send automated reminders, and track attendance all within Constant Contact—eliminates the need for separate Eventbrite subscriptions for most events.
- Text message marketing: Add SMS to fundraising campaigns for multi-channel reach—text-to-donate and event reminders via SMS available on Premium plan.
- Social campaigns: Run Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns targeting donor lookalike audiences directly from the Constant Contact dashboard—useful for year-end fundraising campaigns.
- QR code sign-up: Generate QR codes for in-person list sign-ups at events, booths, and community gatherings—scan and subscribe without paper forms.
- Donations integration: Link donation pages from email campaigns with tracking—measure the donation conversion impact of each email campaign without a separate analytics setup.
Our Take
Constant Contact is the most expensive option in this comparison for most nonprofits—no free plan, 30% discount requires a year of prepayment, and Lite plan limitations push you to Standard at $35/month base. The event management tools are genuinely differentiated and worth the premium for nonprofits that organize 4+ events per year. If a gala, walk-a-thon, or community dinner is your annual fundraising centerpiece, Constant Contact’s integrated RSVP and ticketing eliminates Eventbrite or similar event tool subscriptions. For nonprofits that communicate primarily by newsletter without heavy event programming, the cost premium over Moosend or MailerLite is hard to justify.
Explore Constant Contact for Nonprofits →
6. Beehiiv — Best for Newsletter-Focused Nonprofits
Best for: Nonprofits built around a newsletter audience—advocacy organizations, think tanks, community journalism, and mission-driven publishers—where subscriber growth, newsletter monetization, and publication design matter more than donor management features.
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Subscribers | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch (Free) | $0 | $0 | Up to 2,500 | Unlimited sends, custom domain, basic analytics |
| Scale | $49/month | $43/month | 1,000+ | Ad Network, Boosts, monetization, email automations, surveys, 3 team seats |
| Scale (2,500 subs) | $69/month | ~$58/month | 2,500+ | All Scale features |
| Max | $109/month | $96/month | 1,000+ | Remove Beehiiv branding, Sponsorship Storefront, Podcast Websites, unlimited team seats |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | 100,000+ | Dedicated IPs, concierge onboarding, dedicated account manager |
Beehiiv’s free Launch plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited email sends—the most generous free plan in this comparison by send volume. Paid plans scale by subscriber count on the Scale tier.
Pros
- Free plan supports 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends—by far the most generous free tier in this comparison; most nonprofits can operate meaningful outreach at zero cost
- Built for newsletter growth: subscriber analytics, referral programs, and subscriber segmentation are first-class features—not afterthoughts
- Beautiful, publication-quality email and web rendering—newsletters look like professionally published media, not generic email blasts
- Ad Network and Boosts monetization features allow mission-aligned organizations to offset platform costs by placing relevant sponsor content
- Web-based newsletter archive automatically created—every issue is published as a browsable web page, extending content reach beyond the inbox
Cons
- No dedicated nonprofit discount policy disclosed—unlike every other platform in this comparison with formal nonprofit pricing
- Paid plans are expensive relative to traditional email platforms: Scale starts at $43/month for 1,000 subscribers vs Moosend’s ~$9.75/month for the same list with nonprofit discount
- Not designed for traditional donor management workflows—lacks donation receipt automation, CRM integration depth, or event management tools that Mailchimp or Constant Contact provide
- Automation features are more limited than Moosend or MailerLite at the paid tier—Beehiiv is optimized for publication, not marketing automation
- Best suited to organizations where the newsletter is the core mission; less appropriate for nonprofits using email as a secondary communication tool
Key Features for Nonprofits
- 2,500-subscriber free plan with unlimited sends: Launch your nonprofit newsletter, build an audience, and send campaigns indefinitely without paying—the most operationally useful free plan in this comparison for organizations with active communication programs.
- Subscriber growth tools: Built-in referral program, custom subscription forms, and recommendation network—designed to grow your audience organically, which is how nonprofit impact spreads.
- Web publication: Every newsletter is automatically published as a web page with a clean, professional archive—extends your content reach to search and social media beyond the inbox.
- Surveys and polls: Collect supporter feedback, gauge community sentiment, and gather program input directly within email campaigns—included on Scale plan.
- Paid subscriptions: Enable premium paid newsletter tiers for members or donors who want exclusive content—potential recurring revenue stream for content-driven nonprofits.
Our Take
Beehiiv occupies a distinct position in this comparison: it is not an email marketing platform that happens to send newsletters—it is a newsletter publishing platform with email marketing built in. For advocacy organizations, think tanks, community media, or any nonprofit where the newsletter is central to mission delivery rather than a supporting tool, Beehiiv’s design quality, subscriber growth infrastructure, and generous free plan are genuinely compelling. The 2,500-subscriber free plan with unlimited sends is unmatched here. Where Beehiiv falls short is traditional nonprofit email marketing: no formal nonprofit discount, limited automation depth, and no native donor management. If your nonprofit’s primary email use case is a regular newsletter to a growing community, Beehiiv is the right platform. If it is donor communication and fundraising campaigns with automation, look at Moosend or AWeber.
Start Your Nonprofit Newsletter on Beehiiv Free →
7. MailerLite — Best Design Quality + 30% Nonprofit Discount
Best for: Nonprofits that care about beautiful email design, want a 30% discount with straightforward application, and need solid automation without paying enterprise prices.
Pricing (After 30% Nonprofit Discount)
| Subscribers | Regular Monthly (annual) | After 30% Nonprofit Discount | Annual Cost After Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 500 | Free (12,000 sends/month) | $0 | $0 |
| 500 | $10/month | $7/month | $84/year |
| 1,000 | $15/month | $10.50/month | $126/year |
| 2,500 | $25/month | $17.50/month | $210/year |
| 5,000 | $39/month | $27.30/month | $328/year |
| 10,000 | $73/month | $51.10/month | $613/year |
MailerLite’s 30% nonprofit discount applies to all paid plans. Submit proof of nonprofit status (501(c)(3) or equivalent) during account signup. Note: the nonprofit discount cannot be combined with annual billing discounts—the 30% applies to standard plan pricing.
Pros
- 30% nonprofit discount on all paid plans—tied with Constant Contact for the second-highest discount in this comparison (after Moosend’s stackable offer)
- Free plan supports 500 subscribers with 12,000 sends/month—the most generous send limit on a free plan (Beehiiv aside) in this comparison
- Best email template design quality of any platform here—clean, modern layouts that produce genuinely beautiful nonprofit communications
- Landing page builder, popup forms, website builder, and digital product sales included on paid plans—more value-per-dollar than any comparable tier
- MailerLite Annual “Pay It Forward” Initiative: 10+ nonprofits per year receive free 2-year Advanced accounts—worth applying if budget is critical
Cons
- 30% nonprofit discount cannot be combined with annual billing—Moosend’s stackable approach ultimately delivers a lower price for comparable list sizes
- Free plan is limited to 500 subscribers—Beehiiv’s free plan handles 2,500; Brevo’s free plan has no subscriber limit
- Advanced automation features (A/B testing, conditional content) require the Advanced plan ($20/month base before discount)
- Less well-known than Mailchimp—some board members or partners may not recognize the platform, which occasionally creates internal friction
- Integration ecosystem is smaller than Mailchimp; verify key tools (CRM, donation platforms) integrate before committing
Key Features for Nonprofits
- Design-first email builder: MailerLite’s drag-and-drop builder produces the cleanest, most professional emails in this comparison—annual reports, impact newsletters, and fundraising appeals that look designed, not templated.
- Automation workflows: Build multi-step donor journeys—welcome series, donation anniversary follow-ups, lapsed donor campaigns—with a visual workflow builder included on all paid plans.
- Landing pages + website: Create standalone donation pages, volunteer signup pages, and event registration pages within MailerLite—no separate page builder subscription required.
- Subscriber management: Advanced segmentation, custom fields, and subscriber scoring help nonprofits prioritize outreach to engaged donors and identify lapsed supporters.
- Pay It Forward program: MailerLite sponsors 10+ nonprofits annually with free 2-year Advanced plan access—apply at mailerlite.com/nonprofit for potential full sponsorship.
Our Take
MailerLite delivers the best design quality of any platform in this comparison, a meaningful 30% nonprofit discount, and a well-rounded feature set at prices that undercut Mailchimp significantly. At 2,500 subscribers, MailerLite costs $17.50/month after the nonprofit discount vs Mailchimp’s $51/month—a difference of $400/year that your mission can use far more effectively. The trade-off against Moosend is real: Moosend’s stackable discount produces a lower absolute price for most list sizes, and includes all features without plan tiering. But MailerLite’s design quality is genuinely superior, and for nonprofits where communication aesthetics matter—annual reports, major donor newsletters, brand-reputation-sensitive campaigns—that quality difference justifies the small price premium over Moosend. Start with the free plan at 500 subscribers, apply for the nonprofit discount, and consider the Pay It Forward program.
Try MailerLite Free + Apply for 30% Nonprofit Discount →
Klaviyo Review for Nonprofits
Best For
Nonprofits that run online merchandise shops or have complex ecommerce-style engagement funnels — particularly organizations selling branded goods, event tickets, or merchandise through Shopify or WooCommerce. Klaviyo can also work for tech-savvy nonprofits with dedicated email marketing staff who want sophisticated donor segmentation and automated re-engagement flows, though purpose-built nonprofit platforms may offer better overall fit at scale.
Pricing (2026)
- Free: $0/month — up to 250 active profiles, 500 emails/month, 150 SMS/MMS credits, full automations and segmentation access
- Email: from $20/month (500 contacts) → $30/month (1,000) → $70/month (3,000) → $100/month (5,000) → $150/month (10,000)
- Email + SMS: from $35/month (500 contacts) → $45/month (1,000) → $85/month (3,000) → $115/month (5,000) → $165/month (10,000)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for 250,000+ profiles
- Nonprofit discount: Klaviyo offers discounted pricing for eligible nonprofit organizations — contact their support team directly; the discount amount is not publicly listed
- Billing is based on active profiles (all non-suppressed contacts in your account)
3 Pros
- Pre-built donor engagement flows: Klaviyo includes native donor re-engagement flow templates — new donor thank-you sequences, repeat donor thank-you flows, small donor re-engagement, and lapsed donor win-back flows — that trigger automatically when integrated with donation platforms like Funraise. For organizations that have staff time, these flows can meaningfully improve donor retention without ongoing manual effort.
- Powerful segmentation for donor communication: Klaviyo’s segmentation engine can filter donors by contribution frequency, last gift amount, engagement with previous emails, or any custom event property synced from your donation platform. This makes it possible to send personalized appeals to major donors, lapsed mid-level supporters, and first-time givers separately — the kind of tiered stewardship that drives retention.
- Genuinely usable free plan for small organizations: For very small nonprofits — community groups, local chapters, early-stage organizations — the free plan’s 250-contact and 500-email limits may be enough to run a basic welcome series and monthly donor newsletter. No credit card required, and the full automation and segmentation toolkit is included even at $0/month.
3 Cons
- Ecommerce-first architecture is a real mismatch: Klaviyo was designed for purchase-driven segmentation. Most nonprofit CRMs and donation platforms don’t integrate as seamlessly as Shopify does, meaning nonprofits often need third-party connectors or developer help to get donor data into Klaviyo properly. The native Shopify-depth integration simply doesn’t exist for platforms like Salesforce NPSP, Bloomerang, or DonorPerfect.
- Costs scale quickly for growing donor databases: A mid-sized nonprofit with 5,000 donors pays $100/month on the Email plan — that’s $1,200/year, without SMS. Platforms like Mailchimp (which offers a 15% nonprofit discount) or Constant Contact (which offers 30% nonprofit discounts) often provide more favorable pricing for mission-driven organizations with limited budgets. Klaviyo’s nonprofit discount exists but is not standardized or publicly communicated.
- No built-in fundraising tools: Klaviyo is an email and SMS communication platform, not a fundraising platform. There are no native donation forms, donation page builders, or giving history dashboards. Nonprofits need to integrate a separate fundraising tool (Funraise, Give Lively, Classy) and keep that sync maintained — adding both cost and technical complexity.
Key Features
- Pre-built donor re-engagement, new donor thank-you, and lapsed donor win-back automation flows
- Drag-and-drop email editor with dynamic content blocks and personalization tokens
- Behavioral segmentation by donation frequency, engagement level, and custom event properties
- Integration with Funraise and other donation platforms for automatic donor data sync
- A/B testing for subject lines and email content — useful for optimizing donation appeal performance
- Revenue (or donation) attribution tracking — see which emails drive conversions
- SMS marketing for urgent campaign announcements and event reminders (Email + SMS plan)
- Signup forms and pop-ups for building donor and volunteer email lists
- Segments AI — build audiences in plain language without manual filter logic
- Tax exemption support — Klaviyo accepts nonprofit exemption certificates for applicable US jurisdictions
Our Take
Klaviyo is a capable tool for nonprofits, but it’s not purpose-built for the sector, and that shows in the experience. Organizations with an online shop or sophisticated tech teams who can manage integrations will find the automation and segmentation genuinely powerful for donor communication. However, most nonprofits — especially those using standard donor CRMs, working with small budgets, or lacking dedicated marketing staff — will be better served by platforms designed with nonprofit use cases in mind, such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or Brevo, which offer documented nonprofit discounts and simpler donor-list management. Klaviyo earns its place on this list for the right organization, but it’s not the default recommendation for the nonprofit sector. Rating: 6.5/10
How We Tested
We evaluated all seven platforms against six dimensions specifically relevant to nonprofit operations:
- Nonprofit discount value: Actual annual cost at 1,000 and 5,000 contacts after applying all available nonprofit discounts and annual billing—the number that actually matters for budget planning.
- Free plan utility: How far you can actually go on the free tier before the platform becomes operationally limiting for a nonprofit’s communication needs.
- Automation depth: Ability to build multi-step donor journeys, triggered campaigns, and behavioral workflows without requiring a paid upgrade to a premium tier.
- Deliverability: Email reach to recipient inboxes (not spam folders) based on third-party deliverability tests and sender reputation data.
- Ease of use: Time for a non-technical nonprofit staff member to build and send their first campaign—tested with a realistic fundraising appeal scenario.
- Nonprofit-relevant features: Event management, donation integration, donor segmentation, and features that directly support nonprofit fundraising and community communication.
How to Choose the Right Email Marketing Platform
By Team Size
- Solo staff or all-volunteer: MailerLite (free plan) or Beehiiv (free plan) — minimal setup time, clean design out of the box, no configuration expertise required
- Small team (2–5 people): Moosend or AWeber — more automation depth, solid support for multi-person management, nonprofit discounts reduce per-person cost
- Established organization (5+ staff): Moosend, Constant Contact (if events are central), or MailerLite — advanced features, segmentation, and multi-user management justify paid investment
By Use Case
- Primary goal: free-forever email marketing: Brevo (unlimited contacts, 9,000 sends/month) or MailerLite (500 contacts, 12,000 sends/month)
- Primary goal: donor communication with automation: Moosend (best value with stacked discount) or AWeber (3 free months + 25% ongoing)
- Primary goal: newsletter growth and publication: Beehiiv (2,500 free subscribers, unlimited sends, web archive)
- Primary goal: event management integration: Constant Contact (RSVP, tickets, automated reminders built in)
- Primary goal: third-party integrations (Salesforce, Bloomerang): Mailchimp (300+ integrations, including most nonprofit-specific CRMs)
By Budget
- $0/month: Brevo (unlimited contacts, 9,000/month) or MailerLite (500 contacts, 12,000/month) or Beehiiv (2,500 contacts, unlimited sends)
- Under $15/month: Moosend with stacked discounts (~$5.25/month for 500 contacts); AWeber after nonprofit discount (~$11.25/month for 500)
- $15–50/month: MailerLite at 2,500 contacts ($17.50/month after 30% nonprofit discount); Moosend at 5,000 contacts (~$28.50/month)
- Not worth it for nonprofits: Standard Mailchimp without checking stacked alternatives—the 15% discount leaves it significantly more expensive than Moosend or MailerLite at most list sizes
Frequently Asked Questions
Do email marketing platforms offer nonprofit discounts?
Most do, but the quality varies dramatically. AWeber offers 3 months free + 25% ongoing. Moosend offers 25% stackable with annual discounts. MailerLite offers 30%. Constant Contact offers 20–30% but requires prepayment. Mailchimp offers just 15%—the lowest in the industry. Brevo and Beehiiv have generous free plans that may eliminate the need for a discount entirely. Always apply for nonprofit pricing before purchasing—most platforms cannot apply it retroactively.
What is the best free email marketing tool for nonprofits?
Brevo (unlimited contacts, 9,000 sends/month) for organizations with large databases that send infrequently. Beehiiv (2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends) for newsletter-focused organizations. MailerLite (500 contacts, 12,000 sends/month) for small organizations that prioritize design quality. Mailchimp’s free plan (500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month) is the most limited of the free options here but benefits from the largest integration ecosystem.
Does Mailchimp offer a nonprofit discount?
Yes, 15% off paid plans. You must submit 501(c)(3) documentation before purchasing—the discount cannot be applied retroactively. The 15% is the lowest nonprofit discount among platforms in this comparison; Moosend, AWeber, and MailerLite all offer more generous terms. Mailchimp’s discount also does not apply to the free plan, add-ons, SMS, or transactional email.
What email marketing software do nonprofits use most?
Mailchimp remains the most widely adopted by volume—largely due to its early free plan and brand recognition rather than its pricing for nonprofits. Constant Contact is common among event-heavy nonprofits. MailerLite has seen significant adoption growth among smaller nonprofits since 2023 due to its 30% discount and free plan. Moosend adoption is growing among cost-focused organizations that have done the math on stacked discounts.
Is email marketing effective for nonprofit fundraising?
Yes—email consistently delivers the highest ROI of any digital fundraising channel for nonprofits. M+R Benchmarks (the nonprofit digital marketing research firm) reports that nonprofit email lists generate an average of $78 per 1,000 emails sent for online fundraising. The channel is particularly effective for recurring giving campaigns, year-end appeals, and major donor stewardship. Deliverability matters—choose a platform with strong inbox placement rates, not just attractive pricing.
Should our nonprofit pay for email marketing or use a free plan?
Start free and grow into paid. Brevo’s free plan (unlimited contacts, 9,000/month) and MailerLite’s free plan (500 contacts, 12,000/month) are fully functional for small-to-medium nonprofit operations. Graduate to a paid plan when you need multi-step automations, advanced segmentation, or are hitting send limits. With Moosend’s stacked discounts or AWeber’s 3-month free trial, the transition to paid is meaningfully more affordable than most nonprofits assume.
Can a nonprofit use Beehiiv?
Yes—and it is an excellent choice for newsletter-centric nonprofits. Beehiiv’s free plan (2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends) is uniquely suited to organizations that publish regular newsletters. The platform’s growth tools, subscriber analytics, and publication design quality are unmatched in this comparison at the free tier. Where it is less appropriate is traditional donor communication workflows—Beehiiv lacks the CRM integration depth, donation receipt automation, and event management features of Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
Bottom Line: Which Platform Should Your Nonprofit Choose?
The decision comes down to your mission type, list size, and primary email use case:
- Best overall value — most nonprofits: Moosend → — 25% nonprofit discount stackable with 20% annual; all features on every plan; ~$5.25/month for 500 contacts with combined discounts
- Best for getting started free: Brevo → — unlimited contacts on free plan; 9,000 sends/month; no time limit
- Best for small nonprofits new to email marketing: AWeber → — 3 months free + 25% ongoing; 24/7 phone support; excellent deliverability
- Best design + 30% discount: MailerLite → — the most beautiful email templates in this comparison; $7/month for 500 contacts after discount
- Best for newsletter-focused orgs: Beehiiv → — 2,500 subscriber free plan with unlimited sends; publication-quality design; growth tools
- Best for event-heavy nonprofits: Constant Contact → — built-in RSVP, ticketing, and event management; up to 30% discount with annual prepay
- Best if integrations are the priority: Mailchimp → — 300+ integrations including Salesforce and Bloomerang; 15% discount is the lowest here, but ecosystem depth is unmatched
One practical recommendation that applies regardless of which platform you choose: apply for nonprofit pricing before you purchase anything. Every platform in this comparison that offers a nonprofit discount requires you to submit documentation before paying—not after. Most do not allow retroactive discounts. A 15-minute application process at the right time can save your organization hundreds of dollars per year.
Affiliate disclosure: SoftwareSift earns a commission when you purchase through links on this page, including Moosend, AWeber, and Beehiiv affiliate links. This does not affect our editorial independence—our ratings and recommendations are based on our own testing and research. We only recommend products we have evaluated and believe deliver genuine value to nonprofit organizations.