Mailchimp VS Substack

Mailchimp and Substack help you send emails and newsletters, but they charge fees that eat into your fundraising budget. Zeffy gives you email tools plus donation forms, event ticketing, and donor management — all with zero fees so every dollar stays with your mission.

Decorative

Zeffy is trusted by 50,000+ nonprofits

Sign up to Zeffy for free
100% free forever.
Substack
logo-dark-Mailchimp
Mailchimp

Mailchimp VS Substack

Mailchimp VS Substack: What nonprofits should know before choosing.

Mailchimp
Substack
Substack
<div class="comparetable"><div class="div-block-440"><div id="emailfeatures"class="tablerow is-header"><div class="column1 is-header"><img loading="lazy"src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f8c44be5e84b3fa1ec188e_email.svg"alt=""><div class="comparecategorytitle">Email Marketing Features</div></div><div class="column2 is-header"><div class="rich-text_table is-header"></div></div><div class="column3 is-header"><div class="rich-text_table is-header"></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Easy Email Campaign Builder (Drag & Drop)</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Ready-to-Use Newsletter Templates</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Contact List Management</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Email Personalization (First Name, etc.)</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Email Automation (One-off & Follow-ups)</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">A/B Testing</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Advanced Segmentation</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Email Open & Click Tracking (Analytics)</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Drip Campaigns</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Mobile-Optimized Emails</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow endrow"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Sign-Up Forms for Email Collection</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><p class="table_text"></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<div class="comparetable"> <div class="div-block-440"> <div id="pricing"class="tablerow is-header"> <div class="column1 is-header"><img loading="lazy"src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f8c44be5e84b3fa1ec188e_pricing.svg"alt=""><div class="comparecategorytitle">Pricing</div></div> <div class="column2 is-header"><div class="rich-text_table is-header"><p class="rich-text_table is-header big-text">N/A</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="rich-text_table is-header">Monthly fees plus email limits</p></div></div></div> <div class="column3 is-header"><div class="rich-text_table is-header"><p class="rich-text_table is-header big-text">10%</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="rich-text_table is-header">10% platform cut plus card fees</p></div></div></div> </div> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Processing fees</div></div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><p class="rich-text_table big-text">2%</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">transaction fee + Stripe processing fees</p></div></div></div> <div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><p class="rich-text_table big-text">2.9% + $0.30</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">per transaction + 0.7% billing fee for recurring payments (0.5% for creators who enabled payments before July 2024, until June 30, 2025)</p></div></div></div> </div> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Platform fees</div></div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><p class="rich-text_table big-text">N/A</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No separate platform fees - platform access is included in monthly plan fees</p></div></div></div> <div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><p class="rich-text_table big-text">10%</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">of all paid subscription revenue</p></div></div></div> </div> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Monthly fees</div></div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><p class="rich-text_table big-text">$0</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Free plan — 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month</p></div></div></div> <div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><p class="rich-text_table big-text">$0</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No monthly fees for creators (free to publish)</p></div></div></div> </div> <div class="tablerow endrow"> <div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Value for money</div></div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><p class="rich-text_table big-text">4.4</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/688244e8c87679558de97ca0_check.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">450+ reviews on Capterra. All-in-one fundraising, zero fees, unbeatable value.</p></div></div></div> <div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><p class="rich-text_table big-text">N/A</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No pricing information available</p></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div>
<div class="comparetable"><div class="div-block-440"><div id="pricing"class="tablerow is-header"><div class="column1 is-header"><img loading="lazy"src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f8d5b26894c6e329782874_Features.svg"alt=""><div class="comparecategorytitle">Features</div></div><div class="column2 is-header"><div class="rich-text_table is-header"><p class="rich-text_table is-header big-text">4/5</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="rich-text_table is-header">Powerful email marketing, but needs extra tools for fundraising and donations.</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-header"><div class="rich-text_table is-header"><p class="rich-text_table is-header big-text">N/A</p><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="rich-text_table is-header">Great for newsletters, but lacks fundraising, ticketing, and donor management features.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Donations</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No donation forms or payment processing. Mailchimp focuses on email marketing, not fundraising transactions.</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Substack doesn't offer donation tools. You'd need to direct supporters to external platforms and manually track contributions.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Ticketing</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No event ticketing system. Mailchimp can promote your events via email but can't sell or manage tickets.</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No ticketing features available. You'd have to promote events through newsletters and use separate ticketing platforms.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Peer-to-Peer Fundraising</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns. You can send emails about fundraising but can't create supporter-led campaigns.</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No peer-to-peer fundraising tools. Supporters can't easily create their own fundraising campaigns for your cause.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Auctions</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Mailchimp doesn't offer auction tools. You'll need a separate platform to run silent auctions or live bidding events.</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Substack doesn't support auction functionality. You'd need separate auction software and manual bidder communication.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Raffles</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No raffle management tools. You'll handle ticket sales and winner selection through other platforms or manual processes.</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Substack lacks raffle functionality. You'd need third-party tools and manual winner selection processes.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Online store</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Basic e-commerce through Mailchimp Stores, but limited nonprofit-specific features and higher transaction fees.</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No built-in store capabilities. You'd have to link to external e-commerce platforms and manage inventory separately.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Memberships</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Mailchimp offers basic audience segmentation and tagging, but lacks dedicated membership management tools for nonprofits</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Substack offers paid subscriptions and community features, but lacks nonprofit-specific membership tools like volunteer tracking or board management that nonprofits need.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Donor Management/CRM</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Basic contact management and segmentation, but missing nonprofit-specific donor tracking and relationship tools</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No donor management or CRM capabilities. Substack focuses on subscriber relationships, not donor cultivation, stewardship, or fundraising tracking.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow is-white"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Emails & Newsletter</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Strong email marketing platform with templates, automation, and analytics designed for businesses and marketers</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">Strong newsletter platform with writing tools, scheduling, and subscriber management. Built for content creators rather than nonprofit communication needs.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="tablerow endrow"><div class="column1 is-compare"><div class="left-column_text">Payment Processing</div></div><div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No built-in payment processing - requires third-party integrations like Stripe or PayPal with additional fees</p></div></div></div><div class="column3 is-compare"><div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"><div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img><p class="table_text">No built-in payment processing - requires third-party integrations like Stripe or PayPal with additional fees</p></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<div class="comparetable"> <div class="div-block-440"> <!-- HEADER ROW --> <div class="tablerow is-header"> <div class="column1 is-header"> <img loading="lazy"src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f8de3026f5d3875f3329a3_BigIcons.svg"alt=""> <div class="comparecategorytitle">Payment methods</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-header"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="rich-text_table is-header">Email marketing only — no payment processing</p> </div> </div> <div class="column3 is-header"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="rich-text_table is-header">Newsletter subscriptions only — no donation tools</p> </div> </div> </div> <!-- CREDIT CARD --> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">Credit Card Payments</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="table_text">Not supported - Mailchimp is designed for email marketing, not for receiving payments</p></div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="table_text">Limited - Only supports subscription payments for paid newsletters, not general donations</p> </div> </div> </div> <!-- APPLE PAY & GOOGLE PAY --> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">Apple Pay & Google Pay</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="table_text">Not supported - Mailchimp is designed for email marketing, not for receiving payments</p></div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="table_text">Not supported - No mobile wallet integration available</p> </div> </div> </div> <!-- ACH / BANK TRANSFERS --> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">ACH / Bank Transfers</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="table_text">Not supported - Mailchimp is designed for email marketing, not for receiving payments</p></div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="table_text">Not supported - Substack focuses on newsletter subscriptions, not direct payment processing</p> </div> </div> </div> <!-- TAP TO PAY (END ROW) --> <div class="tablerow endrow"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">Tap to Pay App</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="table_text">Not supported - Mailchimp is designed for email marketing, not for receiving payments</p></div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"> <img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""> <p class="table_text">Not supported - No in-person payment capabilities</p> </div> </div> </div> </div></div>
<div class="comparetable"> <div class="div-block-440"> <div id="pricing"class="tablerow is-header"> <div class="column1 is-header"><img loading="lazy"src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/68f8df20d98a80f025f7cb0f_BigIcons.svg"alt=""> <div class="comparecategorytitle">Customer Support</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-header"> <div class="rich-text_table is-header"> <p class="rich-text_table is-header big-text">4.0/5</p> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img> </div> </div> </div> <div class="column3 is-header"> <div class="rich-text_table is-header"> <p class="rich-text_table is-header big-text">N/A</p> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">Unlimited Support</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Mailchimp limits support based on plan tier - higher plans get priority support</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Substack offers limited support primarily through email and help documentation</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">Phone Support / Office Hours</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Mailchimp offers phone support only for premium and higher-tier plans</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Substack does not offer phone support or scheduled office hours for users</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">Webinars</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Mailchimp offers regular training webinars and educational sessions for users</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Substack offers occasional creator workshops and community events for publishers</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">Help Center</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Mailchimp has an extensive help center with guides and tutorials</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Substack maintains a basic help center with articles and FAQs for common questions</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tablerow is-white"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">Email</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60af7f6d21134db12548f5b9/686433f81dd99f7d4de5259b_Check.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Mailchimp provides live chat support during business hours for paid plans</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Substack does not provide live chat support for users</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tablerow endrow"> <div class="column1 is-compare"> <div class="left-column_text">Nonprofit-Focused Support Team</div> </div> <div class="column2 is-compare is-purple"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Support access depends on plan — priority help and phone calls for top-tier users only</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="column3 is-compare"> <div class="rich-text_table w-richtext"> <div class="table_icon-text-content"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/614b8c46183dbb5cb4f4c787/68fa33fd658c1e061f792993_68f88305e139b495704e4273_Close.svg"alt=""><img> <p class="table_text">Platform designed for individual creators, not nonprofits — email-only support with no phone help</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div>

Zeffy is 100% free, always.

Why Zeffy over Substack?

Why Zeffy over Mailchimp and Substack?

Why choose Zeffy over Mailchimp and Substack if you're a nonprofit

💸

Keep 100% of your donations

Mailchimp and Substack charge monthly fees plus transaction cuts. Zeffy charges zero fees, so every dollar raised goes directly to your mission.

🧰

All your fundraising tools in one place

Skip the patchwork of PayPal, Eventbrite, and spreadsheets. Zeffy handles donations, events, raffles, and donor management without the platform juggling.

🤝

Built for real nonprofit teams

While Mailchimp focuses on businesses and Substack serves publishers, Zeffy understands small nonprofits need simple tools that work on the first try.

Questions nonprofits ask when choosing between Zeffy and Substack

Frequently asked questions

Why choose Zeffy over Mailchimp for nonprofit email campaigns?

Zeffy combines email marketing with donation processing at zero fees, while Mailchimp charges monthly fees plus requires separate payment tools. You get newsletters and fundraising in one platform without losing money to transaction costs.

Can Zeffy handle both newsletters and donations unlike Substack?

Yes, Zeffy offers complete nonprofit tools including newsletters, donation forms, and event ticketing with zero platform fees. Substack takes 10% of subscription revenue and lacks donation capabilities, forcing you to use multiple platforms.

How does Zeffy save money compared to email marketing platforms?

Zeffy charges zero platform fees on all transactions, while competitors like Mailchimp charge monthly fees plus require costly payment integrations. Donors can leave voluntary contributions to support our platform instead of mandatory fees.

How does Zeffy's email marketing compare to Mailchimp for nonprofits?

Zeffy offers email marketing with zero platform fees, while Mailchimp charges monthly fees plus requires separate payment tools for donations. You get newsletters and fundraising in one place without losing donor money to transaction costs.

Why choose Zeffy over Substack for nonprofit newsletters?

Zeffy provides newsletters plus donation forms and event tools at zero fees. Substack takes 10% of subscription revenue and lacks donation capabilities, forcing you to juggle multiple platforms for basic nonprofit needs.

Still undecided?

Keep comparing — and see why nonprofits choose Zeffy

What makes Zeffy different

Zeffy was built for nonprofits like yours

focus on what matters

Built for small teams with big missions.

Zeffy is the fundraising platform that cuts out the fees, clears up your tech mess, and puts your cause first — so your team, even if you're a small team wearing many hats or a one-person show, can focus on what really matters.

Start your nonprofit
Sign up for free

ZERO-FEE

Keep 100% of every dollar.

No platform fees. No processing fees. No catch. We know it sounds too good to be true, but it's not. Every penny goes straight to your mission, while competitors take 2-3% off every donation.

Start your nonprofit
How is Zeffy free?

ALL-IN-ONE PLatform

Ditch the tech mess.

Stop bouncing between MailChimp, Eventbrite, and all those spreadsheets. Now you can handle donations, ticket sales, memberships, raffles, and all your donor info in one spot.

Start your nonprofit
Sign up for free

plug-and-play

Get going, fast.

Built for teams like yours — whether you're volunteer-led or have limited staff. Set up donation forms, sell tickets, and launch campaigns without needing a tech wizard. It's super easy, and you'll be up and running in minutes.

Start your nonprofit
Sign up for free

mobile-first

Fundraise from every device, anywhere.

From QR codes on flyers to Tap-to-Pay on a phone, Zeffy makes it easy to accept donations on the go. Mobile-optimized and offline-ready, so no donor slips through the cracks.

Start your nonprofit
Sign up for free

No turnover

Never lose a donor to volunteer transition.

Centralize supporter relationships, automate thank-you messages, and preserve institutional knowledge when board members rotate out.

Start your nonprofit
Sign up for free
Sign up to Zeffy for free
100% free forever.

50,000+ nonprofits trust Zeffy — and keep their fees at $0.

For 7+ years, Zeffy has supported nonprofits with free, user-friendly fundraising tools.

As a startup nonprofit with only two members, and no funding (yet) we’d need something with low (or no) fees. Zeffy was a dream come true.

Masey, Loose Ends.

Read the full story
Decorative

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5
Heading 6

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Block quote

Ordered list

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3

Unordered list

  • Item A
  • Item B
  • Item C

Text link

Bold text

Emphasis

Superscript

Subscript

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5
Heading 6

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Block quote

Ordered list

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3

Unordered list

  • Item A
  • Item B
  • Item C

Text link

Bold text

Emphasis

Superscript

Subscript