The best email marketing software for most nonprofits in 2026 is MailerLite, because its documented 30% nonprofit discount applies to every paid plan and its starting prices are already low. Small organizations that want everything free should look at Givebutter, which bundles unlimited email with donation pages, while groups that rely on events and phone support are well served by Constant Contact and its prepay nonprofit discount. Mailchimp and Brevo remain solid, but their nonprofit pricing is less generous than their reputations suggest.
Nonprofit buyers face a different problem from businesses. Budgets are fixed, boards ask why software costs rose, and lists often hold thousands of past donors who are emailed only a few times a year. That makes the pricing model, and whether a discount actually applies to the plan you need, more important than any single feature.
This guide compares six tools on nonprofit discounts, list-size pricing, and donor-friendly features. Discounts and prices change often and some sources disagree, so verify current terms with each vendor before you commit.
How We Compared These Nonprofit Email Tools
We compared each tool's published pricing, its documented nonprofit program and eligibility rules, features that matter to fundraising such as donation forms and segmentation by giving history, and patterns across verified reviews from nonprofit users. We did not run fundraising campaigns through these tools, and we do not quote invented donation lifts or open rates. The yardstick was the same for every tool: what a nonprofit with 2,500 contacts would pay per year after discounts, how easily volunteers can learn it, and what reviewers in the sector repeatedly complain about.
Nonprofit pricing at a glance
| Tool | Free plan | Nonprofit discount | Fundraising features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | About 500 subscribers | 30% on paid plans, documented | Forms, landing pages, segments | Most small and midsize nonprofits |
| Givebutter | Unlimited contacts and emails | Free platform, tip-supported | Donation pages, events, donor CRM | Tiny teams that fundraise online |
| Constant Contact | Trial only | Up to about 30% with prepay | Events, donation tools, support | Event-driven groups |
| Mailchimp | 250 contacts | Unclear, sources conflict | Integrations, segmentation | Groups tied to Mailchimp integrations |
| Brevo | 300 emails per day | Reported only on Enterprise | SMS, send-based pricing | Large lists emailed rarely |
| Zoho Campaigns | Yes, small list | Check Zoho's nonprofit program | Zoho CRM and forms links | Nonprofits already on Zoho |
1. MailerLite gives the clearest nonprofit discount
MailerLite documents a 30% discount on any paid plan for organizations registered as nonprofits, with 501(c)(3) proof required in the US, and a 2026 announcement describes it as permanent. Paid plans are reported from about $10 a month before the discount, and the free plan covers about 500 subscribers. That combination makes MailerLite one of the cheapest full-featured options for a nonprofit list of a few thousand donors. It includes signup forms, landing pages, automation, and segmentation by custom fields such as last gift date. It lacks native donation processing, so you will link out to your donation platform. Our MailerLite review covers the plans.
2. Givebutter is the free option that also takes donations
Givebutter is a fundraising platform first, but its own pages document free email with unlimited contacts and sends, funded by optional tips donors add at checkout. Because donations, events, and the donor record live in one place, you can email everyone who gave to last spring's campaign without exporting anything. Third-party reports put more advanced email workflows and reporting on a paid Plus tier at about $29 a month. The limits are design and automation depth: it is not a full marketing suite. For a volunteer-run group, that simplicity is often the point.
3. Constant Contact suits event-heavy organizations
Constant Contact is a long-standing favorite with nonprofits. It is reported to offer discounts of up to about 30% for eligible nonprofits when they prepay a year, with plans starting near $12 a month before discounts. It documents event registration, donation tools, and phone and chat support, and reviewers from the sector often cite the support line as the reason they stay. The trade is contact-based pricing that grows quickly and templates some reviewers call dated. Our Constant Contact review has more.
4. Mailchimp is capable but its nonprofit discount is uncertain
Mailchimp has long been the default for nonprofits, and its integrations with donation platforms and CRMs are extensive. Two things have changed. Its free plan is now reported at 250 contacts, and sources disagree on whether its long-standing 15% nonprofit discount still exists, with at least one reporting it ended. Paid plans start at about $13 a month for 500 contacts and rise steeply past a few thousand. Ask Mailchimp directly about nonprofit pricing before budgeting around a discount. It still makes sense if your donor database or website depends on a Mailchimp integration.
5. Brevo is cheapest for large lists you email rarely
Brevo prices by emails sent rather than contacts stored, and its free plan allows unlimited contacts with a 300 emails per day cap. For a nonprofit with 15,000 past donors and a quarterly appeal, that model can cost far less than a contact-based tool even without a discount. Recent reports say Brevo's nonprofit discount applies only to Enterprise plans, so most small organizations pay standard rates. It also bundles SMS, which helps for event reminders. See our Brevo review for plan details.
6. Zoho Campaigns fits nonprofits already using Zoho
Zoho Campaigns offers a small free plan and low-cost paid tiers, and it connects directly to Zoho CRM, Zoho Forms, and other Zoho apps that some nonprofits already use for donor and volunteer records. Zoho runs a nonprofit program, but terms vary by product and region, so confirm eligibility with Zoho. Reviewers describe the editor as functional rather than polished. It is the logical choice for an organization whose donor data already lives in Zoho, and a weaker one otherwise.
Free plan or discounted paid plan
Many small nonprofits default to a free plan and stay there for years, which can be the right call. A free plan works when your list is under a few hundred contacts, you send a simple monthly update, and nobody needs automation. The moment you want a welcome series for new donors, a thank-you sequence after each gift, or the vendor's branding removed from your emails, a paid plan usually becomes necessary.
The math often favors paying earlier than boards expect. With MailerLite's documented 30% discount, an entry paid plan for a small list works out to a few dollars a month. Compare that with the time a volunteer spends working around free plan limits, such as manually sending thank-you emails or splitting a list to stay under a contact cap.
Watch for three traps. First, free plan caps have been shrinking: Mailchimp's is now reported at 250 contacts and MailerLite's at about 500, both lower than a few years ago. Second, contact-based tools count every address on your list, including lapsed donors, so clean your list before you upgrade. Third, some discounts require annual prepayment or proof of status at each renewal, so keep your 501(c)(3) letter or equivalent registration handy.
For organizations with very large but quiet lists, the send-based pricing of Brevo, or the free unlimited email bundled with Givebutter, can beat any discounted contact-based plan. Price both models against your real sending calendar, not just your contact count, before deciding.
What nonprofits should prioritize when choosing
First, confirm the discount applies to the plan you need, not only to an enterprise tier. Second, match the pricing model to your sending pattern: contact-based tools punish large, rarely emailed lists, while send-based tools punish weekly newsletters. Third, check how the tool connects to where donations happen, whether that is Givebutter, a donor CRM, or a payment form on your site, because segmenting by giving history is what makes appeals work. Finally, think about who will run it. A volunteer who changes every year needs a simple editor more than advanced branching automation. For a wider view of the category, see our roundup of the best email marketing software.
A practical budgeting step is to price your actual list at the plan you would use, apply the documented discount, and multiply by twelve. Do this for two or three tools and present the annual figure to your board, since that is the number they will ask about. Keep consent records from every signup source, because donor lists built from event sign-in sheets and old spreadsheets are the most common source of spam complaints for nonprofits.
The bottom line: pick MailerLite for the best documented nonprofit discount and value, choose Givebutter if you want free email tied directly to donations, and confirm any Mailchimp or Brevo discount in writing before you budget around it.
