# Simple mailing list management
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-mailing-list-management/424906
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 1, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-mailing-list-management/424906 "2007-11-01T19:04:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-mailing-list-management/424906/1 "2007-11-01T19:04:04Z")
A voluntary group I work for has a need for some mailing list software. We frequently send out emails announcing day-projects to two hundred or so addresses of people who in the past have expressed an interest. This list of names is currently maintained manually which inevitably means it has invalid addresses, duplicates and the addresses of people who are no longer interested. It is also a rather hit-or-miss affair when a new person wishes to be added to the list.
The features we would most like are:
1. Automated subscribe/unsubscribe mechanism - probably via a subscribe/unsubscribe email.
2. Bounced email detection
3. Duplicate detection
4. Reasonable level of security
5. Must be simple to set up and VERY simple to use - non techies will be responsible for sending messages and maintaining lists.
6. Ideally should be free or at least very cheap - we are a cash strapped charity.
Any suggestions?
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### Author:  [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-mailing-list-management/424906/2 "2007-11-01T19:22:40Z")
If your non-profit group has a website, I would first check with the company hosting the website. Many webhosts also offer mailing list capability.
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### Author:  [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-mailing-list-management/424906/3 "2007-11-01T19:23:58Z")
By the way, can you use a Yahoo! group or a Google group?
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### Author:  [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-mailing-list-management/424906/4 "2007-11-01T20:01:42Z")
Thanks **Arnold Winkelried**. Unfortunately we are a local branch of a larger organization. Head office has gone all Corporate-Identity on us and has a “hands off - it’s ours” policy on the website. I have no idea what hosting company they use.
We thought about Google or Yahoo but some of our people would be suspicious of going through a third party, plus we need to transfer our existing list to the new system without the recipients having to register. I think we need to keep this in-house.
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### Author:  [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-mailing-list-management/424906/5 "2007-11-01T22:04:16Z")
[QUOTE=ticker]
1. Ideally should be free or at least very cheap - we are a cash strapped charity.
[/QUOTE]
What about a service like [MailChimp](http://www.mailchimp.com/pricing.phtml)? For a non-profit, maintaining a list under 500 people is only $12.50. I’ve worked with them before, and they’re very customer-service oriented (though YMMV) and will help find the best solution for you. They have lots of tools available, e.g., automatic list cleaning and opt-in/out.
(Disclaimer: I have no interest in MailChimp, and can’t say how they compare price- or service-wise to their competitors.)