You’re deeply committed to your nonprofit’s mission, pouring your heart and soul into making a difference. You know that connecting with your donors and building a strong community is vital.
However, finding the right email marketing platforms to achieve this within the often restricted budget of charity organizations can feel overwhelming. Many affordable solutions seem geared towards for-profit businesses, leaving non-profits searching for platforms that understand their unique needs.
For example, Mailchimp has been a popular email marketing tool for some, but it doesn’t always hit the mark for low-cost NGOs. Sometimes, it’s best to explore Mailchimp replacements to find the perfect fit for managing unlimited contacts and creating impactful email marketing campaigns.
And that’s how this article came to be. Let’s dive in!
Why is MailChimp Not an Ideal Platform for Nonprofits?
Here’s why Mailchimp might not be the perfect email marketing platform fit for every non-profit:
- Pricing and cost limitations. Mailchimp’s free plan is restrictive, and its paid plans can quickly become expensive for organizations with limited budgets.
- Missing nonprofit-specific features. Mailchimp lacks advanced features specifically designed for non-profits, such as seamless donation management and fundraising software integrations.
- Limited features on free plans. Many essential features, including automation, are locked behind paywalls, making achieving effective outreach on a shoestring budget challenging.
- Deliverability issues. Some users have reported deliverability issues with Mailchimp, leading to crucial donor communication ending up in spam folders.
7 Best Mailchimp Alternatives for Nonprofits
Don’t worry; plenty of alternatives to Mailchimp are specifically designed with the needs of charity organizations in mind. These platforms provide tailored solutions to improve digital marketing and community outreach through various communication tools.
Let’s explore some of the best platforms for email marketing services:
| Platform | Starting price | Non-profit discount |
| Sender | $9/month | 25 % |
| Constant Contact | $12/month | 20% or 30% depending on chosen plan |
| MailerLite | $9/month | 30 % |
| AWeber | $12.50/month | 25 % |
| Brevo | $9/month | 15 % |
| GetResponse | $14/month | 50 % |
| Moosend | $9/month | 25 % |
Sender – Best Value Email Platform for Non-Profits
Sender provides all the essential email marketing tools and advanced features like marketing automation and SMS marketing, even on their basic plan.
With Sender’s customizable email templates, you can build professional-looking email campaigns. You can also easily segment your audience and personalize your messaging for more effective donor outreach. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes creating emails a breeze, even for those new to email marketing.
Beyond its robust features, Sender stands out for its affordability, making it a popular choice among budget-conscious nonprofits. Their free plan is quite generous, offering many tools that other platforms like Mailchimp or others like Campaign Monitor and Klaviyo often place behind paywalls.
Features
- Email marketing automation and workflow builder;
- Drag-and-drop email builder and responsive templates;
- Advanced segmentation and personalization;
- Free popups & forms;
- Seamless integration with other tools.
Pricing
- Feature-rich Free Forever plan up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 monthly emails;
- Paid plans start at as low as $10/month.
I made the decision to use Sender because Mailchimp (or any other that I tried) isn’t offering free automation. In Sender, that’s free too and with great ease of use (much like Mailchimp).
Jarvis
Constant Contact – Beautiful Visual Content & Non-Profit Discounts
Constant Contact shines with its visually appealing signup forms and landing pages, making it easy to attract new supporters and grow your audience.
It offers a wide array of customizable templates designed with visual storytelling in mind, allowing you to create engaging email marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience. Their drag-and-drop editor simplifies the design process, too.
Constant Contact also offers non-profit discounts, demonstrating their commitment to supporting mission-driven organizations. However, their pricing can be higher than other options, especially as your contact list grows.
Features
- Email marketing automation;
- Intuitive drag-and-drop email editor;
- Contact list management and segmentation;
- Surveys and polls.
Pricing
- There’s no free plan, but you can try the platform for free for 14 days;
- Paid plans start at $12/month.
MailerLite – Best Storytelling Templates
MailerLite is renowned for its user-friendly interface and templates designed for visual storytelling, making it an ideal choice for crafting impactful fundraising campaigns.
Their intuitive drag-and-drop editor simplifies creating visually appealing emails, even for those new to email marketing tools. They offer various customization options, allowing you to tailor your messaging and branding to resonate with your audience.
However, compared to other email marketing software options, its automation features might be limited. Organizations requiring more complex branching logic or advanced segmentation options usually find MailerLite’s capabilities restrictive.
Features
- Drag-and-drop editor with customizable email templates;
- Basic email automation;
- A/B testing;
- Reporting and analytics.
Pricing
- MailerLite offers a free plan up to 1,000 subscribers;
- Paid plans start at $9/month.
AWeber – Simplicity and Cost-Effectiveness
AWeber is an excellent option for beginners due to its straightforward interface and ease of use. It offers a good selection of pre-designed templates that you can easily customize to match your branding.
Aweber offers cost-effective services, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious nonprofits. You’ll also have access to various resources and tutorials to help you get the most out of the platform and confidently navigate its tools and features.
However, the platform’s template customization options might be less flexible than those of some competitors. While they offer a decent selection, organizations requiring highly customized designs or advanced coding options might find their template library limited.
Features
- Segmentation and tagging;
- Campaign analytics and reporting;
- Autoresponder follow-ups;
- RSS-to-email;
- AMP emails.
Pricing
- With the free plan, you can send up to 3000 emails/month to 500 subscribers and get 1 email automation;
- Paid plans start at $12.50/month.
Brevo – Affordable Automation & Multi-Channel Engagement
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) offers affordable solutions for nonprofits seeking robust marketing automation tools without stretching their budget. They provide a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality, making it easy to create automated workflows for various stages of the donor journey.
Beyond email marketing services, Brevo allows you to reach your audience through SMS and WhatsApp, expanding your reach and enabling more personalized communication.
However, its free plan limits the number of emails you can send daily. While this restriction might not be an issue for smaller organizations, larger nonprofits with extensive contact lists and need for unlimited emails find it restrictive.
Features
- Email and SMS marketing;
- Web & mobile push notifications;
- CRM features;
- Transactional email;
- Integrations with the most popular tools.
Pricing
- Brevo offers a free plan up to 300 emails/day;
- Paid plans start at $9/month.
GetResponse – All-in-One Solution for Campaigns & Webinars
GetResponse is a comprehensive email marketing platform beyond standard email marketing services. It offers many features, including a website builder, landing page creator, and webinar hosting capabilities, making it a true all-in-one solution for nonprofits.
You can also segment your audience based on various criteria, personalize your messaging, and automate responses based on user behavior, ensuring each interaction feels relevant and engaging.
Yet, I don’t recommend it for smaller organizations just starting with digital marketing as this extensive functionality can make GetResponse overwhelming.
Features
- Marketing automation workflows;
- Webinar hosting and management platform;
- Signup forms and pop-ups;
- Conversion funnel builder;
- Paid advertising management.
Pricing
- There’s no free plan, but you can try all the features with 30-day premium access.
- Paid plans start from $14/month.
Moosend – Cost-Effective, Simple Yet Powerful Automation
Moosend is an email campaign software emphasizing automation, making it an attractive option for nonprofits. It offers a user-friendly interface and powerful automation capabilities to create various workflows, from simple autoresponders to complex behavioral campaigns.
One of Moosend’s key strengths is its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, making it incredibly easy to create visually appealing and engaging emails. It also offers CRM integration with popular tools and platforms, allowing you to connect your email marketing efforts with your existing workflow.
One of the bigger disadvantages is Moosend’s customer support, which could be more responsive. Some users have reported longer wait times or difficulty getting timely assistance for complex issues.
Features
- Drag-and-drop email editor;
- Segmentation and personalization tools;
- A/B testing capabilities;
- Transactional emails (SMTP);
- Deliverability features and monitoring.
Pricing
- Moosend doesn’t have a free plan but offers a 30-day free trial;
- Paid plans start at $9/month.
Key Email Platform Features to Consider Before Committing
Before you choose from all the email marketing service providers, consider these features crucial for nonprofits:
- Automated thank-you emails to show appreciation and foster relationships with automated thank-you messages;
- Donation integrations for ensuring seamless fundraising campaigns;
- Supporter segmentation lists for tailoring your email marketing campaigns for better donor communication;
- Recurring donation campaigns that make it easy for donors to contribute regularly with recurring donation options;
- Discounted pricing options or special plans for nonprofits;
- Event promotion features to promote your events and engage your community;
- Community engagement analytics to track the success of your email marketing efforts and understand your audience better.
