Updated 2026-02-01

Best Email Marketing Tools for Charities

Engage donors, share your impact, and grow your mission with the right email marketing platform.

Running a charity means connecting with donors, volunteers, and the community you serve. You need to share your impact, thank supporters, and inspire action. Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to do this. But most email tools are not built for nonprofits. Here are 13 platforms that actually work for charities, ranked by ease of use, automation features, and value for money.

Why Charities Need Email Marketing

Cultivate Donor Relationships

Donors give more when they feel connected to your mission. Regular email updates keep them engaged and informed.

Share Your Impact

Show donors how their contributions make a difference. Impact stories drive continued giving and referrals.

Drive Fundraising Campaigns

Email is the highest-ROI channel for nonprofit fundraising. Year-end giving, matching campaigns, and appeals all work better with email.

Recruit and Retain Volunteers

Keep volunteers engaged with updates, appreciation, and new opportunities to serve.

13 Best Email Marketing Tools for Charities

Our Top Pick for Charities
#1
Sequenzy

AI-powered email marketing built for organizations. Creates donor sequences automatically.

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Best for
Charities wanting automated donor communication without complexity
Pricing
$29/month for 50,000 emails

Pros

  • AI writes donor and campaign sequences
  • Simple interface for small teams
  • Pay for emails sent, not contacts
  • Direct founder support

Cons

  • Launched in 2025, less track record
  • No built-in SMS
  • Fewer templates than established competitors
#2
Mailchimp

The most popular email marketing platform. Solid features with nonprofit discounts.

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Best for
Charities wanting a well-known platform with nonprofit pricing
Pricing
Free up to 500 contacts, then $13-350/month (15% nonprofit discount)

Pros

  • Extensive template library
  • Many integrations
  • Strong deliverability
  • Nonprofit discounts

Cons

  • Gets expensive despite discount
  • Interface can feel overwhelming
  • Support quality has declined
  • Not nonprofit-specific
#3
Constant Contact

Long-standing email platform with strong nonprofit support.

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Best for
Charities wanting simple email with phone support
Pricing
From $12/month for 500 contacts (nonprofit discounts available)

Pros

  • Very easy to use
  • Excellent phone support
  • Event registration features
  • Nonprofit pricing

Cons

  • Limited automation
  • Templates feel dated
  • Higher prices
  • Basic segmentation
#4
ActiveCampaign

Powerful automation platform with a learning curve.

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Best for
Larger nonprofits with dedicated staff
Pricing
From $29/month for 1,000 contacts

Pros

  • Excellent automation
  • CRM included
  • Great deliverability
  • Detailed donor tracking

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • Overkill for small charities
  • Complex interface
  • Price jumps with features
#5
Brevo

Formerly Sendinblue. Great value for budget-conscious nonprofits.

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Best for
Budget-conscious charities needing email and SMS
Pricing
Free up to 300 emails/day, then from $25/month

Pros

  • SMS included
  • Generous free tier
  • Transactional email
  • Good automation

Cons

  • Daily limits on free
  • Support can be slow
  • Limited integrations
  • Branding on free tier
#6
MailerLite

Clean, simple email marketing with nonprofit discounts.

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Best for
Charities wanting simplicity and affordability
Pricing
Free up to 1,000 subscribers, then from $10/month (30% nonprofit discount)

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Clean interface
  • Good landing pages
  • Strong nonprofit discount

Cons

  • Strict approval
  • Limited advanced features
  • Basic reporting
  • Approval takes time
#7
Drip

E-commerce focused. Can work for merchandise and donation tracking.

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Best for
Charities with significant merchandise sales
Pricing
From $39/month for 2,500 contacts

Pros

  • Strong automation
  • Revenue tracking
  • E-commerce features
  • Detailed analytics

Cons

  • Built for e-commerce
  • Expensive
  • Not designed for nonprofits
  • Learning curve
#8
GetResponse

All-in-one marketing platform with webinars and landing pages.

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Best for
Charities running virtual events and webinars
Pricing
From $19/month for 1,000 contacts (nonprofit discounts available)

Pros

  • Webinar hosting
  • Landing page builder
  • Automation templates
  • Nonprofit pricing

Cons

  • Busy interface
  • Email editor could improve
  • Support varies
  • Features feel scattered
#9
AWeber

One of the original email platforms. Simple and reliable.

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Best for
Charities wanting no-frills reliability
Pricing
Free up to 500 subscribers, then from $15/month

Pros

  • Reliable deliverability
  • Simple to use
  • Good support
  • Long track record

Cons

  • Feels dated
  • Limited automation
  • Basic templates
  • Little innovation
#10
ConvertKit

Built for creators. Works well for content-focused nonprofits.

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Best for
Charities with strong content and storytelling focus
Pricing
Free up to 1,000 subscribers, then from $29/month

Pros

  • Great for storytelling
  • Clean subscriber management
  • Tag-based automation
  • Creator community

Cons

  • Minimal design options
  • Not nonprofit-focused
  • Expensive at scale
  • Limited visual customization
#11
HubSpot

Enterprise marketing platform with strong nonprofit program.

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Best for
Large nonprofits qualifying for HubSpot for Nonprofits
Pricing
Free basic, paid from $50/month (up to 40% nonprofit discount)

Pros

  • Full CRM
  • Great for teams
  • Excellent reporting
  • Strong nonprofit program

Cons

  • Overkill for small charities
  • Still expensive
  • Complex setup
  • Ecosystem lock-in
#12
Moosend

Budget email marketing with solid features.

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Best for
Very budget-conscious charities
Pricing
From $9/month for 500 subscribers

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Good automation
  • Responsive support
  • Landing pages

Cons

  • Less known
  • Limited integrations
  • Smaller templates
  • Fewer features
#13
Campaign Monitor

Professional email marketing with beautiful templates.

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Best for
Charities prioritizing email design
Pricing
From $9/month for 500 contacts (15% nonprofit discount)

Pros

  • Beautiful templates
  • Great for storytelling
  • Reliable delivery
  • Nonprofit discount

Cons

  • Contact-based pricing
  • Limited automation
  • Gets expensive
  • Not nonprofit-specific

Feature Comparison

FeatureSequenzyMailchimpConstant ContactMailerLite
Donor welcome automation
Impact update sequences
Basic
AI content generation
Drag-and-drop editor
Automation workflows
Basic
SMS marketing
Free tier available

Email Sequences Every Charitie Needs

These are the essential automated email sequences that will help you grow your business and keep clients coming back.

New Donor Welcome

Trigger: When someone makes their first donation

Welcome new donors and begin building the relationship.

Immediately
Thank you for your gift, {{first_name}}!

Heartfelt thanks. Receipt confirmation. Impact preview.

Day 3
Here's what your gift makes possible

Specific impact story. Connect donation to outcome.

Day 10
Welcome to the {{organization_name}} community

Overview of your work. Ways to stay connected. Social links.

Monthly Impact Update

Trigger: Monthly

Keep donors informed about your work and impact.

Monthly
Your impact this month

Recent accomplishments. Stories from the field. Upcoming needs.

Year-End Giving Campaign

Trigger: November-December

Drive year-end giving with a multi-email campaign.

Early November
Your year-end giving can change lives

Preview of campaign. Matching opportunity if available.

Giving Tuesday
Today your gift goes twice as far

Giving Tuesday appeal. Match or special offer.

December 27
4 days left to make a 2026 tax-deductible gift

Deadline urgency. Impact reminder. Easy give link.

December 31
Last chance: Your gift before midnight

Final appeal. Strong call to action.

Lapsed Donor Re-engagement

Trigger: 12 months after last gift

Reconnect with donors who have not given recently.

12 months
We miss you, {{first_name}}

Update on work. What has changed. Invitation to give again.

18 months
A lot has happened since we last connected

Major accomplishments. Impact stories. Re-engagement offer.

How to Choose the Right Email Tool

The best email marketing tool depends on your situation:

Budget matters most. Nonprofits need value. Look for nonprofit discounts and generous free tiers.

Team size and skills. Choose tools your team can actually use. Simple beats powerful if no one can figure it out.

Integration needs. If you use donor management software, check for integrations.

What Actually Works for Charities

After talking to many nonprofit communicators about email marketing:

Stories over statistics. Personal impact stories drive more engagement and giving than numbers alone.

Thank more than ask. Donors who feel appreciated give more. Aim for 3 thank-you or update emails for every ask.

Consistency builds trust. Regular communication keeps donors connected to your mission.

Getting Started

Pick a tool from this list. Then:

  1. Import your donor and supporter contacts
  2. Set up a new donor welcome sequence
  3. Create a monthly impact update template
  4. Plan your next fundraising campaign

Start simple and expand later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly impact updates are standard. Increase frequency during campaigns. Balance asking with thanking and updating. Donors who feel valued give more.

Impact stories are most effective. Show how donations change lives. Include photos and specific outcomes. Thank donors frequently.

Lead with impact, not need. Be specific about what gifts accomplish. Use real stories. Make the ask clear. Create urgency when appropriate.

Yes. Segment by giving level, recency, interests, and engagement. Major donors deserve different communication than first-time givers.

Collect emails from every donor and volunteer. Capture emails on your website with impact stories or resources. Collect at events.

Open rate (aim for 25%+), click rate (3%+), and donation conversion. Track which emails drive giving and engagement.

Thank immediately after every gift. Be specific and heartfelt. Share impact stories. Thank more than you ask. Personalize when possible.

Yes. Start with a welcome sequence and monthly update. Use free tiers and nonprofit discounts. Simple and consistent beats complex.

Be specific and emotional. Examples: 'You helped Maria start her business' or 'Your gift at work: 100 meals served' work well.

Make it easy to unsubscribe. Consider offering a digest option. Do not take it personally. Focus on engaging those who want to hear from you.

Ready to grow your charitie practice?

Start your free trial today. Set up your first email sequence in minutes with AI-powered content generation.

Related Industries

Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 2k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (0-100 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com