Best Email Marketing for Nonprofits: 10 Platforms

Email reaches supporters directly, without an algorithm deciding who sees it. A good newsletter keeps people connected to your work between appeals, and a well-timed appeal can do more than months of social posts.

The ten platforms below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, a mix of well-known names and smaller providers. Each description comes from the tool's own site, read this week. For the basics of writing emails that get read, see my complete guide to email marketing.

Email platforms for nonprofits at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes free use or a free plan, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Action Network	Advocacy email	Campaigns and petitions	No
Benchmark Email	Newsletter software	Starting free with a small list	Yes
Brevo	Email and SMS	Email plus text messages	Yes
Campaign Monitor	Email marketing	Polished, designed newsletters	Yes
Constant Contact	Email marketing	Supporter updates and newsletters	Trial only
EmailOctopus	Email marketing	Simple newsletters, nothing else	Yes
Emma	Email marketing	Brand control across many senders	No
iContact	Email marketing	Easy sending for small teams	Trial only
Mailchimp	Email and SMS	Widely used, lots of integrations	Trial only
MailerLite	Email marketing	Clean design and landing pages	No

Ten email platforms for nonprofits

Action Network

Best for: Advocacy groups and campaigning charities that want email, petitions and actions in one organising platform.

Benchmark Email

Best for: Small nonprofits starting their first newsletter that want a free plan and help with email templates from day one.

Brevo

Best for: Charities that want email, text messages and automation together, with a contact database built in.

Campaign Monitor

Best for: Nonprofit comms teams that care about design and want polished templates and a visual journey builder.

Constant Contact

Best for: Community organisations that want newsletters and supporter updates from a long-established provider with nonprofit guidance.

EmailOctopus

Best for: Charities wanting straightforward newsletters and simple automations, without a long list of features they'll never use.

Emma

Best for: Larger nonprofits with several teams sending email who need brand controls and user permissions.

iContact

Best for: Busy teams that want an easy email marketing tool with a full-access trial and nothing complicated to learn.

Mailchimp

Best for: Nonprofits that want a well-known email and SMS platform with a long history of templates and integrations.

MailerLite

Best for: Volunteer-run nonprofits that want clean email design, landing pages and simple automation in one tool.

The UK consent rule charities often get wrong

Here's a detail that catches charities out. The ICO says the soft opt-in rule for existing customers doesn't apply to non-commercial promotions such as charity fundraising.

If you're a UK charity, don't assume past donors can be emailed fundraising appeals on the same basis a shop emails past customers. Choose a platform that records consent clearly, and ask for permission in plain words on every sign-up form.

Newsletter tool or advocacy platform?

General email tools are great for newsletters, appeals and automated thank-you emails. Advocacy platforms add petitions, events and campaigning actions, which suit organisations that mobilise supporters as well as fundraise.

If your work is mostly service delivery and fundraising, a general email platform is usually enough. If you campaign, lobby or organise, look at an advocacy platform.

A simple email plan for a small charity

1. Send a short newsletter once a month with one clear story.
2. Welcome every new subscriber with a brief automated series.
3. Thank every donor by email within a day of their gift.
4. Plan two or three appeals a year around key moments.
5. Clean out addresses that bounce or never open.
6. Check consent wording on every form at least once a year.

Features nonprofits use most

• Consent fields. Record how and when people opted in.
• Segments. Separate donors, volunteers and campaigners.
• Automation. Welcome series and thank-you emails.
• Integrations. Connect to your donation forms and CRM.

Writing appeals that work

Strong appeals are specific. Name the need, explain what a gift will do and make the donate button impossible to miss. Send a reminder to people who opened but didn't give, and thank everyone who did, quickly and warmly.

Accessibility

Write emails that everyone can read. Use clear headings, descriptive link text and alt text on images, and avoid putting key information only in pictures. It helps supporters using screen readers and makes your emails easier for everyone.

Growing your list the right way

Don't buy lists or add people who haven't asked to hear from you. It damages your reputation and, in the UK, it isn't how consent works for fundraising emails. Instead, add a clear sign-up form to your website, events and donation pages, and say exactly what people will get and how often. A smaller list of people who want your emails will raise more than a big list of people who don't. You'll also find your emails land in inboxes more often, because fewer people mark them as spam.

Do you make email marketing tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on email for nonprofits

Tell one story per email. Supporters don't want a list of everything you've done lately. They want to see the difference their support made to one person, place or project, with one clear thing to do next.

Start on a free or low-commitment plan and move up only when your list or your needs grow. The platform matters far less than sending regularly with something worth reading. If you're weighing up the best-known names, compare them with my list of Mailchimp alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best email marketing for nonprofits?

It depends on what you send. Newsletter-focused charities do well with general email tools, while campaigning groups often prefer advocacy platforms.

Is there free email marketing for nonprofits?

Yes. Several platforms on this list describe a free plan or free start. Check the table.

Can UK charities use the soft opt-in for fundraising emails?

The ICO says the soft opt-in doesn't apply to non-commercial promotions such as charity fundraising, so get clear consent.

How often should a charity send emails?

A monthly newsletter plus thank-you emails and a few appeals a year suits most small charities.

Should donation receipts come from my email platform?

Many charities send receipts from their fundraising tool and use the email platform for newsletters and appeals.

What should a nonprofit newsletter include?

One strong story, one clear call to action and a short update, written in plain language.