Best Email Marketing Software for Nonprofits
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Nonprofits typically run on tight budgets, manage donor and volunteer lists that fluctuate in size, and need reliable automation for newsletters, appeals, and event reminders without a large staff. This ranking weighs each platform's free-tier availability, entry-level pricing, and core features like email building and automation, using only the published plan details and feature notes for Mailchimp, Constant Contact, AWeber, MailerLite, GetResponse, and Brevo. Tools with no-cost or low-cost plans that still include usable automation rank higher, since these let smaller organizations start without upfront spend before scaling as their contact list grows.
Full ranking
Best for: Nonprofits needing a no-cost start with room to add automation later
Brevo offers a Free plan supporting 300 emails per day with no credit card required, and the Starter plan at $9/month adds a drag & drop email editor and AI content generator for subject lines and copy. Marketing automation with unlimited multi-step workflows becomes available at the Standard plan ($18/month), giving nonprofits a low-cost path to more sophisticated donor communications.
- Free forever plan
- Transactional email API
- Marketing automation workflows
Best for: Small nonprofits with donor lists under 500 contacts
MailerLite's Free plan covers up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails, including a drag & drop newsletter editor and 3 automations at no cost. The Comfort plan at $12/month raises limits to 500 subscribers, 5,000 monthly emails, and 50 automations, making it a reasonable step-up for growing donor lists.
- Free forever plan
- Marketing automation workflows
- Drag-and-drop email builder
Best for: Very small nonprofits with basic newsletter needs
Mailchimp's Free plan is available to organizations with under 250 contacts and core features only, while the Essentials plan at $13/month adds testing and scheduling features, though automation is capped at 4 flow steps on that tier. This suits nonprofits with simple newsletter needs but limited if more complex automation is required.
- Free forever plan
- A/B testing
- Marketing automation workflows
Best for: Nonprofits wanting landing pages bundled with email from the start
AWeber's Lite plan at $12.50/month includes a drag-and-drop email builder, 3 landing pages, 3 automations, and detailed deliverability reporting. However, the pricing table only describes a 14-day trial rather than a distinct free plan, which is a drawback for nonprofits wanting to test at zero cost.
- Drag-and-drop email builder
- Landing page builder
- Deliverability tools (warm-up, monitoring)
Best for: Nonprofits running donation pages or events who can absorb a $20/month baseline
Constant Contact's Lite plan starts at $20/month and includes a drag-and-drop email editor with AI copy generator, plus the ability to host events, sell products, and take payments across all plans. There is no free plan, and automation on Lite is limited to 1 template, making it a costlier entry point relative to competitors with free tiers.
- Drag-and-drop email builder
- E-commerce integrations
- Marketing automation workflows
Best for: Larger nonprofits able to negotiate an Enterprise plan for advanced features
GetResponse's Starter plan at $19/month includes a landing page builder and AI-powered content generators across all plans, but SMS marketing, transactional email, and deliverability tools like a dedicated sending domain are only listed under the custom-priced Enterprise plan. With no free plan and useful features gated behind Enterprise, it's the least budget-friendly option here.
- Marketing automation workflows
- Landing page builder
- AI content assistant
Buying guide
For nonprofits, the first filter should be whether a free plan exists and what it actually includes: Brevo's Free plan allows 300 emails/day with no credit card, MailerLite's Free plan covers up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails, and Mailchimp's Free plan applies only under 250 contacts. Constant Contact, AWeber, and GetResponse have no comparable free tier, so budget-limited organizations should weigh their lowest paid entry points instead ($12.50, $19, and $20/month respectively). Second, check where automation sits in the pricing ladder — some platforms cap automation steps or workflows on entry plans (Mailchimp Essentials limits to 4 flow steps; AWeber Lite limits to 3 automations), while others include unlimited workflows starting at a mid-tier plan (Brevo Standard at $18/month, GetResponse Marketer at $59/month). Third, consider whether donation or event features matter: Constant Contact bundles event hosting and payment-taking across all its plans. Finally, factor in growth — several platforms (GetResponse, Constant Contact, Brevo) reserve SMS, transactional email, or deliverability support for higher or Enterprise tiers, which may matter as your list and campaigns scale.
Frequently asked questions
Which email marketing tool is cheapest for a nonprofit just starting out?
Brevo's Free plan supports 300 emails per day at $0/month with no credit card required, and MailerLite's Free plan covers up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails, both offering the lowest-cost entry points among the compared tools.
Is this list useful for nonprofits with very small donor or volunteer lists?
Yes — Mailchimp's Free plan applies to organizations under 250 contacts, and MailerLite's Free plan also covers up to 250 subscribers, both suited to small nonprofits managing modest contact lists.
Do any of these platforms lack a free plan entirely?
Constant Contact, AWeber, and GetResponse do not offer a distinct free plan in the given pricing data; AWeber only mentions a 14-day trial, while Constant Contact and GetResponse start at $20/month and $19/month respectively.
Which platform offers the most automation for the lowest price?
Brevo includes unlimited automated multi-step workflows starting at its Standard plan for $18/month, while MailerLite includes automation on every plan, with 3 automations on Free and 50 on the $12/month Comfort plan.
Can nonprofits use any of these tools for event registration or donation pages?
Constant Contact includes the ability to host events, sell products, and take payments across all its plans, which may be relevant for nonprofits running fundraising events or donation campaigns.