Constant Contact Pricing for Nonprofits (2026)
Constant Contact nonprofit pricing: 20-30% off with prepay, plans from $12/mo. Compare to simpler alternatives.
TL;DR: Constant Contact offers nonprofits 20% off with 6-month prepay or 30% off with 12-month prepay—but only on Standard plans and above. Plans start at $12/month (Lite), $35/month (Standard), and $80/month (Premium) for 500 contacts, with costs rising sharply as your list grows. For nonprofits wanting simpler pricing without prepayment requirements, Groupmail offers a flat 30% nonprofit discount on all paid plans with no prepay needed, plus a free tier for up to 500 contacts.
If you're a nonprofit evaluating Constant Contact, you've probably noticed the pricing isn't as straightforward as it first appears. Between tiered plans, contact-based pricing, prepayment requirements, and varying discount structures, understanding what you'll actually pay takes some effort.
Disclosure: We're the team behind Groupmail—simple email software for organizations since 1996. We'll be upfront about where we fit and honest about alternatives.
How Constant Contact's Nonprofit Discount Actually Works
Constant Contact's nonprofit discount isn't automatic—and it comes with conditions that many organizations miss when signing up.
Here's the reality: Constant Contact requires prepayment to unlock nonprofit savings. You'll receive 20% off when you prepay for 6 months, or 30% off when you prepay for 12 months. This means committing significant budget upfront before you've fully evaluated whether the platform works for your organization.
The discount applies to the Standard and Premium plans. According to Constant Contact's official pricing, the Lite plan—their entry-level option—doesn't qualify for the full nonprofit discount structure.
💡 Tip: Before committing to a 12-month prepay to get the 30% discount, use Constant Contact's 14-day free trial to ensure it's the right fit. That's a short window, so prioritize testing your most important workflows first.
There's also a TechSoup option worth knowing about. Through TechSoup, eligible nonprofits can access a 50% discount on Constant Contact subscriptions. However, this requires TechSoup membership, verification of your nonprofit status, and paying an administrative fee to TechSoup. The process takes longer but delivers better savings for organizations that qualify.
Constant Contact's 2026 Pricing Plans Explained
Constant Contact restructured its pricing in 2025, eliminating the free plan entirely. What remains is a 14-day free trial and three paid tiers, all priced based on your contact count.
Lite Plan: Starting at $12/month
The Lite plan targets small organizations just getting started. For up to 500 contacts, you'll pay $12/month. The cost increases as your list grows: $30/month at 1,000 contacts, $50/month at 2,500 contacts, and $80/month at 5,000 contacts.
What you get: basic email editor, simple templates, event forms, social media posting, and one basic automation template. What you don't get: A/B testing, advanced segmentation, custom automation paths, or phone support.
The Lite plan also limits you to one user account and 1GB of storage—constraints that become problematic as your organization grows.
Standard Plan: Starting at $35/month
The Standard plan is where most nonprofits land. Starting at $35/month for 500 contacts, it includes email scheduling, A/B testing for subject lines, contact segmentation, and three pre-built automation workflows.
At 2,500 contacts, Standard pricing jumps to $75/month. At 5,000 contacts, expect around $110/month. At 10,000 contacts, you're looking at approximately $160/month before any discounts.
You can invite up to 3 users on Standard, with 10GB storage. Monthly email sends are capped at 12x your contact count—so with 1,000 contacts, you can send up to 12,000 emails per month.
Premium Plan: Starting at $80/month
The Premium plan unlocks Constant Contact's full feature set: unlimited users, 25GB storage, dynamic content personalization, AI-powered recommendations, advanced segmentation, and priority support.
For 500 contacts, Premium costs $80/month. At 5,000 contacts, pricing approaches $200/month. Organizations with 10,000+ contacts enter custom pricing territory.
Premium includes 500 SMS messages monthly (US only) and sends up to 24x your contact count per month.
Key Takeaway: Constant Contact's pricing escalates quickly as your contact list grows. A nonprofit with 5,000 members could easily pay $100-200/month depending on the plan—before accounting for any discounts.
Real Cost Examples for Nonprofits
Let's calculate what a typical nonprofit actually pays at different list sizes, comparing monthly and annual (with discount) options.
Small nonprofit with 1,000 contacts on Standard:
- Monthly: $50/month = $600/year
- Annual prepay with 30% discount: $420/year
- Savings: $180/year
Medium nonprofit with 5,000 contacts on Standard:
- Monthly: ~$110/month = $1,320/year
- Annual prepay with 30% discount: ~$924/year
- Savings: ~$396/year
Larger nonprofit with 10,000 contacts on Standard:
- Monthly: ~$160/month = $1,920/year
- Annual prepay with 30% discount: ~$1,344/year
- Savings: ~$576/year
The savings are real—but so is the upfront commitment. Prepaying $924 or $1,344 at once requires budget planning that many smaller nonprofits can't manage.
Hidden Costs to Watch For
Beyond the base subscription, several additional costs can surprise nonprofit administrators.
Overage fees: Constant Contact charges $0.002 per email sent beyond your plan's monthly allowance. On the Lite plan (10x contacts), a 1,000-contact list can only send 10,000 emails monthly. Send a weekly newsletter plus event reminders, and you'll exceed that limit.
SMS add-ons: SMS messaging isn't included in Lite or Standard plans. Adding it starts at $10/month for 500 messages. Only Premium includes 500 SMS messages by default.
Feature gating: Essential features like custom automation paths, dynamic content, and advanced segmentation require the Standard or Premium plans. Many nonprofits discover they need these features only after signing up for Lite.
Contact counting: Constant Contact counts only active contacts against your plan limit—unsubscribed and bounced contacts don't count. This is actually fairer than some competitors, but verify this is still the policy before signing up.
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How Constant Contact Compares to Alternatives
Understanding how Constant Contact's nonprofit pricing stacks up against alternatives helps you make an informed decision.
| Tool | 500 Contacts | Nonprofit Discount | Free Plan | Prepay Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groupmail | $25/month | 30% | 500 contacts | No |
| Constant Contact | $35/month (Standard) | 20-30% | None | Yes |
| MailerLite | $10/month | 30% | 500 contacts | No |
| EmailOctopus | $9/month | 20% | 2,500 contacts | No |
| Mailchimp | $13/month | 15% | 500 contacts | No |
A few things stand out: Constant Contact is among the most expensive options, and it's the only platform here requiring prepayment to access the full nonprofit discount. Tools like Groupmail, MailerLite, and EmailOctopus offer comparable or better discounts without locking you into annual commitments.
When Constant Contact Makes Sense
Despite the higher price point, Constant Contact works well for certain nonprofit scenarios.
Event-heavy organizations: Constant Contact's event management features—RSVPs, registration, and event-triggered emails—are genuinely useful for nonprofits running frequent events.
Phone support preference: Unlike most competitors, Constant Contact offers phone support on Standard and Premium plans. For organizations without tech-savvy staff, talking to a human matters.
Established brand comfort: Constant Contact has been around since 1995. Some nonprofit boards and executive directors prefer working with established names they recognize.
Integration requirements: If your nonprofit uses specific software that integrates better with Constant Contact than alternatives, the integration value might justify the premium.
⚠️ Watch out: Constant Contact's 14-day trial is very short compared to industry norms. Make sure you have time to properly evaluate the platform before the trial expires and your card gets charged.
When to Consider Alternatives
For many nonprofits—especially smaller ones or those with straightforward communication needs—simpler tools deliver better value.
Budget-constrained organizations: If prepaying for 12 months isn't feasible, and monthly pricing feels steep, platforms like Groupmail or MailerLite provide similar core functionality at lower costs with upfront nonprofit discounts.
Simple newsletter needs: Organizations that primarily send member updates, event announcements, and donor newsletters don't need Constant Contact's advanced features. A simpler tool keeps your team focused on communication, not learning software.
Small teams without marketing expertise: Constant Contact's depth can overwhelm volunteer-run organizations. Tools designed specifically for organizations—not marketers—reduce the learning curve.
GDPR-conscious nonprofits: EU-based organizations may prefer platforms like Groupmail that are EU-based and GDPR-compliant by design, rather than US-based tools with GDPR as an afterthought.
Getting the Best Value from Constant Contact
If you've decided Constant Contact is right for your nonprofit, here's how to maximize value:
Start with Standard, not Lite. The Lite plan's limitations—no A/B testing, one user, minimal automation—make it a poor fit for most organizations. Standard offers the best balance of features and nonprofit discount eligibility.
Apply through TechSoup if eligible. The 50% discount through TechSoup beats the direct 30% discount. Yes, there's an administrative fee and verification process, but the savings on a year of service typically exceed that cost.
Clean your list before signing up. Since pricing is contact-based, removing inactive subscribers before importing reduces your tier. Even dropping from 1,100 to 900 contacts could save you $10-20/month.
Time your signup strategically. Budget for the annual prepay to get the full 30% discount. If that's not possible immediately, start monthly and switch to annual once you've confirmed the platform works for you.
Monitor your sending volume. Track how many emails you send monthly to avoid overage fees. If you consistently approach your limit, evaluate whether upgrading tiers or switching platforms makes more financial sense.
Making Your Decision
Constant Contact's nonprofit pricing delivers value for organizations that can commit to annual prepayment and need its specific feature set—particularly event management and phone support. However, the pricing structure favors larger nonprofits with established budgets.
For smaller organizations, volunteer-run groups, or nonprofits that simply want to send member updates without marketing complexity, alternatives like Groupmail offer comparable functionality with simpler pricing, no prepayment requirements, and discounts that don't come with conditions attached.
The best email tool is the one you'll actually use consistently. For many nonprofits, that means choosing simplicity over features you'll never touch.
Ready to send your first update? Try Groupmail free — set up in 10 minutes, no credit card required. Built for organizations, not marketers.
