S
SaaSScored
Updated March 2026

Best Email Marketing for Nonprofits — With Discount Pricing (2026)

GetResponse gives nonprofits 50% off. MailerLite offers 30% off plus a Pay-it-forward programme with free Advanced accounts. Mailchimp gives 15%. Most comparison sites don't mention these discounts at all. We ranked all 11 platforms by what nonprofits actually pay — factoring in verified discounts, ease of use for volunteer staff, and independent deliverability data. Because what matters is the real price, not the list price.

Transparency note: We earn affiliate commissions from some tools listed here. This never influences our rankings — our scoring methodology is published and open for scrutiny.

What to look for

  • Nonprofit discount — MailerLite (30% off), GetResponse (50% off), Mailchimp (15% off), or free plans that cover your needs
  • Ease of use for non-marketers — your volunteers and part-time staff need to send emails without a training course
  • Donor segmentation — separate communications for one-time donors, recurring donors, lapsed donors, and prospects
  • Event and fundraising emails — templates and automation for donation drives, galas, and recurring giving campaigns
  • Deliverability — donor emails that land in spam are donations you never receive

Quick Picks

#1
GetResponse—Course creators and small businesses who want email + webinars + funnels in one platform
7.2
Read review
#2
MailerLite—Small businesses and creators on a budget who want simplicity
7.5
Read review
#3
Mailchimp—Complete beginners who want the easiest interface and maximum third-party integrations
6.5
Read review
GetResponse logo
Our #1 Pick

GetResponse

GetResponse is a legitimately powerful platform that tries to be everything for everyone — and mostly succeeds for course creators and SMBs who will a...

7.2/10
Try GetResponse →

How They Compare

RankToolScorePriceFree?Best For
#1GetResponse
7.2/10
From $19/moCourse creators and small businesses who want email + webinars + funnels in one platform
#2MailerLite
7.5/10
From $10/moSmall businesses and creators on a budget who want simplicity
#3Mailchimp
6.5/10
From $13/moComplete beginners who want the easiest interface and maximum third-party integrations
#4Brevo
7.3/10
From $9/moSmall businesses that need email, CRM, SMS, and chat in one affordable platform — especially those with large contact lists but low send volume
#5Kit (ConvertKit)
7.2/10
From $33/moSolo creators, bloggers, and podcasters who value simplicity and built-in monetisation
#6AWeber
6.2/10
From $15/moNon-technical beginners who value phone support and simplicity above all else, and digital product sellers who want built-in payment processing on landing pages
#7beehiiv
7/10
From $43/moNewsletter creators and media companies who want to monetise their audience through ads, paid subscriptions, and cross-promotion
#8Omnisend
7.1/10
From $16/moSmall-to-mid Shopify stores that want email + SMS + push in one platform without Klaviyo's price tag or learning curve
#9ActiveCampaign
7.4/10
From $19/moMid-sized businesses (1K-25K contacts) that actively use complex automation daily
#10Klaviyo
7.5/10
From $20/moShopify stores doing $500K+ in revenue that need serious segmentation and revenue attribution
#11Drip
6.8/10
From $39/moSmall-to-mid ecommerce stores ($100K-$1M revenue) on Shopify or WooCommerce who want powerful automation without Klaviyo's price tag
GetResponse logo
#1

GetResponse

The all-in-one platform with a billing problem

7.2/10
Best for: Course creators and small businesses who want email + webinars + funnels in one platform
Not for: Simple newsletter senders (you will overpay), WordPress users (no plugin), or anyone who might need to cancel quickly
Try GetResponseFull review
MailerLite logo
#2

MailerLite

Clean, affordable, and easy to use

7.5/10
Best for: Small businesses and creators on a budget who want simplicity
Not for: E-commerce needing deep analytics, or anyone in finance/health/dating niches where deliverability drops significantly
Try MailerLiteFull review
Mailchimp logo
#3

Mailchimp

The biggest name in email — coasting on reputation

6.5/10
Best for: Complete beginners who want the easiest interface and maximum third-party integrations
Not for: Anyone with 5,000+ contacts (dramatically overpriced), ecommerce businesses (Klaviyo is far superior), or anyone who needs real customer support
Try MailchimpFull review
Brevo logo
#4

Brevo

The best-value all-in-one — if support doesn't ghost you

7.3/10
Best for: Small businesses that need email, CRM, SMS, and chat in one affordable platform — especially those with large contact lists but low send volume
Not for: Ecommerce stores needing deep Shopify integration and revenue attribution (Klaviyo and Omnisend are far better), or anyone who needs responsive customer support
Try BrevoFull review
Kit (ConvertKit) logo
#5

Kit (ConvertKit)

Built for creators — but the price just tripled

7.2/10
Best for: Solo creators, bloggers, and podcasters who value simplicity and built-in monetisation
Not for: Ecommerce businesses, anyone needing detailed analytics, or large lists where cost becomes hard to justify vs MailerLite
Try KitFull review
AWeber logo
#6

AWeber

The veteran platform coasting on loyalty — after a brutal price hike

6.2/10
Best for: Non-technical beginners who value phone support and simplicity above all else, and digital product sellers who want built-in payment processing on landing pages
Not for: Ecommerce businesses (lacks pre-built flows and deep platform integrations), advanced marketers needing sophisticated automation, or cost-conscious users at scale — MailerLite does the same job for significantly less
Try AWeberFull review
beehiiv logo
#7

beehiiv

The newsletter platform built for monetisation — not marketing

7/10
Best for: Newsletter creators and media companies who want to monetise their audience through ads, paid subscriptions, and cross-promotion
Not for: Ecommerce businesses (zero ecommerce features), anyone needing complex automation or advanced segmentation, and integration-heavy tech stacks
Try beehiivFull review
Omnisend logo
#8

Omnisend

The budget Klaviyo with genuine omnichannel chops

7.1/10
Best for: Small-to-mid Shopify stores that want email + SMS + push in one platform without Klaviyo's price tag or learning curve
Not for: Stores with heavy Outlook/Hotmail customer bases (38.7% Microsoft deliverability), B2B businesses, enterprise operations at 50K+ contacts, or advanced marketers who need Klaviyo-level segmentation depth
Try OmnisendFull review
ActiveCampaign logo
#9

ActiveCampaign

The automation king — if you can stomach the pricing

7.4/10
Best for: Mid-sized businesses (1K-25K contacts) that actively use complex automation daily
Not for: Beginners, budget-conscious solopreneurs, or simple newsletter senders — MailerLite offers 80% of the functionality at 30-50% of the cost
Try ActiveCampaignFull review
Klaviyo logo
#10

Klaviyo

The ecommerce email powerhouse — at a premium price

7.5/10
Best for: Shopify stores doing $500K+ in revenue that need serious segmentation and revenue attribution
Not for: Bloggers, creators, coaches, SaaS businesses, or anyone without an ecommerce store — zero advantage over tools at half the price
Try KlaviyoFull review
Drip logo
#11

Drip

Solid ecommerce automation — quietly falling behind Klaviyo

6.8/10
Best for: Small-to-mid ecommerce stores ($100K-$1M revenue) on Shopify or WooCommerce who want powerful automation without Klaviyo's price tag
Not for: Anyone needing SMS marketing (discontinued for new customers), non-ecommerce businesses (Drip is ecommerce-only), or large stores needing predictive analytics and AI-powered optimisation
Try DripFull review

Compare the Top Picks Head-to-Head

GetResponse vs MailerLite
GetResponse vs Mailchimp
MailerLite vs Mailchimp

Explore Related Categories

Best Email Marketing Tools for Ecommerce
Best Free Email Marketing Tools — 9 Plans Compared (2026)
Best Email Marketing Tools for Bloggers & Creators

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best email marketing tool for nonprofits in 2026?

Based on our research, GetResponse ranks #1 for nonprofits. The all-in-one platform with a billing problem. Score: 7.2/10.

How did you rank these email marketing tools?

We score each tool across 6 criteria: Deliverability (20%), Automation (20%), Ease of Use (20%), Value for Money (20%), Templates (10%), and Analytics + Support (10%). Scores are based on independent deliverability data, verified pricing, and real user reviews from G2, Capterra, Reddit, and Trustpilot.

Are these rankings influenced by affiliate commissions?

No. We earn affiliate commissions from some tools listed, but commissions never influence rankings. Our scoring methodology is published on our methodology page and open for scrutiny. Tools with higher commissions do not rank higher — Mailchimp has the lowest score despite being one of the biggest brands.

Which email marketing tools offer nonprofit discounts?

GetResponse offers the largest discount at 50% off for verified nonprofits. MailerLite gives 30% off plus free Advanced accounts through its Pay-it-forward programme. Mailchimp offers 15% off. Kit's free plan (10,000 subscribers) may cover many nonprofits entirely. Always verify current discount terms directly with the platform.

What is the best free email tool for nonprofits?

Kit's free plan supports 10,000 subscribers — enough for most small nonprofits. Brevo's free plan offers unlimited contacts with 300 emails/day, ideal for large donor lists with infrequent sends. MailerLite's free plan (500 subscribers) includes automation for welcome sequences and donation follow-ups. For nonprofits that outgrow free plans, GetResponse's 50% discount offers the best value.

How can nonprofits improve email open rates?

Segment donors by giving history (one-time, recurring, lapsed) and personalise messaging. Send donation receipts immediately (automated flows), follow up with impact stories within 7 days, and run re-engagement campaigns for lapsed donors. ActiveCampaign and MailerLite both offer the automation needed for these workflows at nonprofit-friendly prices.

How we rank these tools

Rankings based on 6 weighted criteria: Deliverability (20%), Automation (20%), Ease of Use (20%), Value for Money (20%), Templates (10%), Analytics + Support (10%). All scores are research-backed — sourced from real user reviews on Reddit, G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot, plus verified pricing and independent deliverability data. Read our full methodology

Last updated: March 2026

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Our top pick for this category: GetResponse (7.2/10)