Email Newsletter Cost Analysis for Neighborhood Association
300 Subscribers | NFP/Community Organization
Executive Summary
For a 300-subscriber neighborhood association newsletter, you have several viable options ranging from free to approximately $20-30/month. Self-hosted solutions offer the most control and lowest long-term costs, while managed services provide easier maintenance at higher prices.
Recommended Path: Start with Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) free tier or self-hosted solution using your PHP website with a reliable transactional email service.
Current Solution: Wix (Being Replaced)
Monthly Cost
- Basic Plan: $17/month (includes website + email)
- Core Plan: $29/month (includes website + email marketing)
Features
- ✅ Integrated website and email
- ✅ Drag-and-drop builder
- ❌ Limited customization
- ❌ Vendor lock-in
- ❌ Cannot easily export subscriber lists
- ❌ Restricted email sending limits
Annual Cost: $204-$348
New Website Host: 1984 Hosting (Iceland)
Why 1984 Hosting?
- Privacy-focused, civil rights-oriented hosting company
- Based in Iceland (strong free speech protections)
- 100% green energy (renewable sources)
- No surprise price increases on renewal
- Transparent pricing, no hidden fees
- Accepts Bitcoin/Monero for anonymous payment
- Free DNS service included
Plan Options
Option A: Regular Shared Hosting (Multi-Site Capable)
Ideal for: Multiple domains, unlimited hosting needs
| Term |
Promo Price |
Renewal Price |
Monthly Equivalent |
| 1 Year |
$35.40 |
$238/year |
$19.83/month |
| 3 Years |
$179.90 |
$608/3 years |
$16.89/month |
Features:
- ✅ Unlimited websites/domains
- ✅ Unlimited disk space
- ✅ Unlimited MySQL databases
- ✅ Unlimited email accounts
- ✅ Unlimited bandwidth
- ✅ OpenLiteSpeed web server (fast)
- ✅ PHP support (custom scripts)
- ✅ Let's Encrypt SSL certificates (free)
- ✅ Daily backups included
- ✅ i-MSCP control panel
- ✅ FreeDNS included
- ❌ Steeper learning curve (not as user-friendly as Wix)
- ❌ No drag-and-drop builder (need HTML/PHP skills)
Best For: Organizations wanting maximum flexibility, multiple sites, or planning growth
Option B: VPS #1 (Full Control)
Ideal for: Technical users wanting complete server control
Monthly Cost: $8.40/month ($100.80/year)
Specifications:
- 1GB RAM
- 1 CPU core
- 25GB SSD storage
- 1TB monthly transfer
- Full root access
- You manage everything
Features:
- ✅ Complete control over server
- ✅ Install any software
- ✅ Lowest long-term cost
- ✅ Host unlimited sites
- ✅ Run custom PHP applications
- ❌ Requires technical expertise
- ❌ You handle all server management
- ❌ No managed support
Best For: Technical users or organizations with IT resources
Option 1: Self-Hosted Solution (Custom PHP Website)
Setup Requirements
- PHP website with MySQL database (you already have this)
- SMTP service for reliable email delivery
- Custom subscription form integration
Monthly Costs
A. Using SendGrid (Recommended for Self-Hosting)
- Free Tier: 100 emails/day (3,000/month) - $0/month
- Essentials: 40,000 emails/month - $19.95/month
- Pro: 100,000 emails/month - $89.95/month
B. Using Amazon SES
- Pay-as-you-go: $0.10 per 1,000 emails
- 300 subscribers × 4 newsletters/month = 1,200 emails
- Monthly cost: ~$0.12/month (essentially free)
- EC2 hosting required: $0-5/month (if not already hosting)
C. Using Mailgun
- Free Trial: 5,000 emails/month for 3 months
- Foundation: 50,000 emails/month - $35/month
- Growth: Starts at $80/month
D. Using Postmark
- Free Tier: 100 emails/month
- $10 credit: 10,000 emails (~10 months for your needs)
- Monthly: $15/month for unlimited transactional emails
Implementation Costs (One-Time)
- PHP developer time: 8-20 hours
- Estimated cost: $400-$1,200 (one-time)
- Subscription form
- Email template system
- Unsubscribe management
- List management
- Basic analytics
Features
- ✅ Complete control over data
- ✅ No vendor lock-in
- ✅ Full customization
- ✅ Can integrate with existing PHP site
- ✅ Extremely low ongoing costs
- ❌ Requires technical maintenance
- ❌ Higher upfront development cost
- ❌ You manage deliverability and compliance
Total Year 1 Cost
- With Amazon SES: $400-$1,200 (setup) + $1.44 (emails) = $401-$1,201
- With SendGrid Free: $400-$1,200 (setup) + $0 = $400-$1,200
- Year 2+: $0-$240/year (just email sending costs)
Option 2: Mailchimp
Monthly Cost (300 Subscribers)
- Free Plan: Up to 500 subscribers, 1,000 sends/month - $0/month
- Essentials: Starts at $13/month (500 contacts)
- Standard: Starts at $20/month (500 contacts)
- Premium: Starts at $350/month (10,000 contacts minimum)
Features
- ✅ Industry standard
- ✅ Excellent templates and drag-and-drop editor
- ✅ Good analytics and reporting
- ✅ Automation features (paid plans)
- ✅ CRM features
- ✅ Landing page builder
- ❌ Free plan has Mailchimp branding
- ❌ Limited automation on free plan
- ❌ Can be expensive as you grow
Annual Cost
- Free Plan: $0
- Essentials: $156
- Standard: $240
Option 3: Constant Contact
Monthly Cost (300 Subscribers)
- Core Plan: $12/month (first month), then $35/month
- Special nonprofit discount: Up to 30% off
- With discount: ~$24.50/month
Features
- ✅ User-friendly interface
- ✅ Excellent customer support
- ✅ Event management tools
- ✅ Social media integration
- ✅ Good for nonprofits (discount available)
- ✅ Strong deliverability rates
- ❌ More expensive than competitors
- ❌ Limited free trial (60 days)
Annual Cost
- Standard: $420/year
- With nonprofit discount: ~$294/year
Option 4: Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
Monthly Cost (300 Subscribers)
- Free Plan: 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts - $0/month
- Starter: 20,000 emails/month - $25/month
- Business: 20,000 emails/month + advanced features - $65/month
Features
- ✅ Generous free tier (300 emails/day = 9,000/month)
- ✅ Unlimited contacts on all plans
- ✅ SMS marketing included
- ✅ Marketing automation
- ✅ Transactional email capabilities
- ✅ Good deliverability
- ✅ Clean, modern interface
- ❌ Template selection smaller than competitors
Annual Cost
- Free Plan: $0 (sufficient for 300 subscribers, 4 newsletters/month)
- Starter: $300
Option 5: EmailOctopus
Monthly Cost (300 Subscribers)
- Free Plan: Up to 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails/month - $0/month
- Pro Plan: Starts at $9/month (500 subscribers)
Features
- ✅ Very affordable
- ✅ Built on Amazon SES (excellent deliverability)
- ✅ Simple, clean interface
- ✅ Unlimited campaigns
- ✅ Landing pages included
- ❌ Limited templates
- ❌ Fewer advanced features
- ❌ Free plan includes branding
Annual Cost
- Free Plan: $0
- Pro Plan: $108
Option 6: Moosend
Monthly Cost (300 Subscribers)
- Free Plan: Up to 1,000 subscribers, unlimited emails - $0/month
- Pro Plan: $9/month (up to 500 subscribers)
Features
- ✅ Unlimited emails on free plan
- ✅ Marketing automation on all plans
- ✅ Landing pages
- ✅ Reporting and analytics
- ✅ Good template library
- ❌ Less well-known (smaller user base)
- ❌ Support limited on free plan
Annual Cost
- Free Plan: $0
- Pro Plan: $108
Option 7: Benchmark Email
Monthly Cost (300 Subscribers)
- Free Plan: Up to 500 subscribers, 250 emails/month - $0/month
- (Insufficient for most newsletters)
- Pro Plan: $15/month (500 subscribers, unlimited emails)
Features
- ✅ Responsive templates
- ✅ List management
- ✅ A/B testing
- ✅ Automation tools
- ❌ Free plan very limited
- ❌ Interface dated compared to competitors
Annual Cost
Special Consideration: Nonprofit Discounts
Many providers offer nonprofit discounts:
Mailchimp for Nonprofits
- Discount: 15% off monthly plans
- Standard Plan with discount: ~$17/month
Google for Nonprofits
- Includes Google Workspace with custom email
- Free for verified nonprofits
- Could use with self-hosted solution for professional emails
Feature Comparison Matrix
| Feature |
Self-Hosted |
Mailchimp Free |
Constant Contact |
Brevo Free |
EmailOctopus Free |
| Monthly Cost |
$0-20 |
$0 |
$24.50* |
$0 |
$0 |
| Setup Cost |
$400-1,200 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
| Subscriber Limit |
Unlimited |
500 |
300+ |
Unlimited |
2,500 |
| Monthly Email Limit |
Varies |
1,000 |
Unlimited |
9,000 |
10,000 |
| Templates |
Custom |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Good |
Basic |
| Automation |
Custom |
Limited |
Yes |
Yes |
Limited |
| Analytics |
Custom |
Basic |
Advanced |
Good |
Good |
| Landing Pages |
Custom |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| No Branding |
✅ |
❌ |
✅ |
❌ |
❌ |
| API Access |
✅ |
Limited |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Support |
Self |
Email only |
Phone/Email |
Email |
Email |
| Deliverability |
Good** |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
*With nonprofit discount
**Depends on SMTP service chosen
Complete Solution Cost Comparison (3 Years)
Website + Newsletter Combinations
| Solution |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Total 3 Years |
Avg/Month |
| CURRENT: Wix Core |
$348 |
$348 |
$348 |
$1,044 |
$29 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| NEW HOSTING OPTIONS: |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1984 Shared + Brevo Free |
$35* |
$238 |
$238 |
$511 |
$14.19 |
| 1984 Shared + Amazon SES |
$36* |
$239 |
$239 |
$514 |
$14.28 |
| 1984 Shared + SendGrid Free |
$35* |
$238 |
$238 |
$511 |
$14.19 |
| 1984 Shared + Mailchimp Free |
$35* |
$238 |
$238 |
$511 |
$14.19 |
| 1984 Shared + EmailOctopus Free |
$35* |
$238 |
$238 |
$511 |
$14.19 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| WITH DEVELOPMENT: |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1984 Shared + Custom PHP + SES |
$636* |
$239 |
$239 |
$1,114 |
$30.94 |
| 1984 Shared + Custom PHP + SendGrid |
$635* |
$238 |
$238 |
$1,111 |
$30.86 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| VPS OPTIONS: |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1984 VPS #1 + Brevo Free |
$101 |
$101 |
$101 |
$303 |
$8.42 |
| 1984 VPS #1 + Self-hosted Email |
$701** |
$101 |
$101 |
$903 |
$25.08 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 3-YEAR PREPAY OPTIONS: |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1984 Shared (3yr) + Brevo Free |
$180*** |
$203 |
$203 |
$586 |
$16.28 |
| 1984 Shared (3yr) + Custom + SES |
$780*** |
$204 |
$204 |
$1,188 |
$33 |
First year promotional pricing
Includes $600 development
Prepaid 3 years upfront ($180), then Year 2-3 at renewal rate ($203/year = $608/3)
Email-Only Comparison (No Website Hosting)
| Solution |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Total 3 Years |
Avg/Month |
| Mailchimp Free |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
| Mailchimp Standard |
$240 |
$240 |
$240 |
$720 |
$20 |
| Constant Contact (NPO) |
$294 |
$294 |
$294 |
$882 |
$24.50 |
| Brevo Free |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
| EmailOctopus Free |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
| EmailOctopus Pro |
$108 |
$108 |
$108 |
$324 |
$9 |
| Amazon SES |
$1 |
$1 |
$1 |
$3 |
$0.08 |
| SendGrid Free |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
Savings vs. Current Wix Setup
| Solution |
3-Year Savings |
| 1984 Shared + Brevo Free |
$533 |
| 1984 Shared (3yr prepay) + Brevo |
$458 |
| 1984 VPS + Brevo Free |
$741 |
| 1984 Shared + Custom PHP |
($70) - costs more first 3 years, then saves long-term |
Recommendations by Priority
Best for Immediate Maximum Savings
Winner: 1984 VPS #1 + Brevo Free
- Total cost: $8.42/month ($101/year)
- Savings: $741 over 3 years vs. Wix
- Complete control over hosting
- Zero email sending costs
- Requirements: Technical expertise to manage VPS
Best for Ease + Good Savings
Winner: 1984 Regular Shared Hosting + Brevo Free
- Year 1: $35* (promo), then $238/year
- Average: $14.19/month over 3 years
- Savings: $533 over 3 years vs. Wix
- Managed hosting (1984 handles server maintenance)
- Unlimited everything (sites, databases, email accounts)
- Professional email delivery through Brevo
- Requirements: Basic PHP/HTML knowledge or web developer
Best for Multiple Sites/Future Growth
Winner: 1984 Regular Shared Hosting (3-year prepay)
- Upfront: $180 for 3 years
- Effective cost: $5/month for first 3 years
- Host unlimited websites and domains
- Perfect for community organizations planning expansion
- Benefit: Lock in promotional pricing for 3 years
Best Long-Term Investment
Winner: 1984 Shared + Custom PHP Integration + Amazon SES
- Year 1: $636 (includes $600 development)
- Years 2+: $239/year ($19.92/month)
- Year 4+: Near-zero newsletter costs, just hosting
- Complete independence from email service vendors
- Full customization of subscription system
- Break-even: After ~4 years, massive savings begin
Most Conservative Approach
Winner: 1984 Regular Shared + Mailchimp Free
- Same as Brevo option above
- Mailchimp is more widely known
- Better integration options
- Easier to find help/tutorials
Detailed Scenarios for Your Organization
Scenario 1: "Quick Migration, Maximum Savings"
Timeline: Immediate (1-2 weeks)
Steps:
- Sign up for 1984 Regular Shared Hosting (1 year, $35)
- Create Brevo free account
- Build simple subscription form on your PHP website
- Import 300 subscribers to Brevo
- Migrate website from Wix to 1984
Immediate Benefits:
- Drop from $29/month to $14.19/month average
- Own your subscriber data
- Unlimited email accounts for your organization
- Can host multiple neighborhood sites
Skills Needed:
- Basic PHP/HTML (or hire developer for 2-4 hours)
- Understanding of cPanel/control panels
Total Year 1 Cost: $35
Savings Year 1: $313 vs. Wix
Scenario 2: "Technical Excellence"
Timeline: 3-6 months
Steps:
- Sign up for 1984 VPS #1 ($8.40/month)
- Set up LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)
- Develop custom newsletter subscription system
- Integrate Amazon SES for email delivery
- Build administrative dashboard
Benefits:
- Lowest possible ongoing costs ($8.42/month)
- Complete control and customization
- Can run additional services for neighborhood
- Professional, branded system
Skills Needed:
- Advanced PHP/MySQL
- Linux server administration
- Web security knowledge
Development Time: 20-40 hours
Total Year 1 Cost: $701 (including $600 dev)
Year 2+ Cost: $101/year
10-Year Total: $1,610 vs. $3,480 for Wix
Scenario 3: "Multi-Site Community Hub"
Timeline: 2-4 weeks
Use Case: Your neighborhood association wants to:
- Host main association website
- Create sites for 3 community committees
- Provide email addresses for board members
- Send newsletters to 300 subscribers
Solution: 1984 Regular Shared (3-year prepay) + Brevo Free
Setup:
- Prepay $180 for 3 years of hosting
- Set up 4 different websites (all included)
- Create 20+ email addresses for volunteers
- Use Brevo for newsletter delivery
Total 3-Year Cost: $180 hosting + $0 newsletter = $180
Effective Monthly Cost: $5/month
Wix Equivalent: Would need multiple premium plans = $100+/month
Savings over 3 years: $864+
Scenario 4: "Gradual Transition"
Timeline: 6-12 months
For: Organizations uncomfortable with big changes
Phase 1 (Month 1-2):
- Keep Wix website running
- Sign up for Brevo Free
- Export subscribers from Wix
- Test newsletters through Brevo
- Cost: $29/month (Wix only)
Phase 2 (Months 3-4):
- Sign up for 1984 hosting
- Clone website to 1984
- Test thoroughly
- Run parallel for 1 month
- Cost: $29 + $19.83 = $48.83/month
Phase 3 (Month 5+):
- Cancel Wix
- Point domain to 1984
- Full migration complete
- Cost: $19.83/month
Total Extra Cost for Safe Transition: ~$60
Peace of Mind: Priceless
Implementation Roadmap with 1984 Hosting
Phase 1: Planning & Setup (Week 1-2)
Week 1: Decision & Account Setup
-
Choose your path:
- Quick win: Regular Shared Hosting + Brevo
- Technical: VPS + Custom solution
- Multi-site: Regular Shared (3-year prepay)
-
Sign up for 1984 Hosting
- Select plan (recommend starting with 1-year Regular Shared)
- Cost: $35.40 (promo price)
- Payment options: Credit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin
-
Set up Brevo free account
- Create account at sendinblue.com/brevo
- Import your 300 subscribers
- Verify sender domain
Week 2: Content Preparation
-
Export from Wix:
- Download all website files if possible
- Export subscriber list (CSV format)
- Document all email addresses in use
- Screenshot current website design
-
Access 1984 Control Panel (i-MSCP):
- Familiarize yourself with interface
- Create email accounts
- Set up databases
Phase 2: Website Migration (Weeks 3-4)
Week 3: Build New Site
-
Upload website files to 1984
- FTP/SFTP access provided
- Install PHP scripts
- Import databases
-
Test on temporary URL
- 1984 provides temporary domain
- Test all functionality
- Verify forms work
Week 4: Email Setup
-
Configure email accounts
- Create addresses for board members
- Set up forwarding if needed
- Test sending/receiving
-
Build newsletter subscription form
- Simple PHP form on website
- Double opt-in for compliance
- Connects to Brevo via API
Phase 3: Newsletter Integration (Weeks 5-6)
Week 5: Brevo Integration
-
Get Brevo API key
- Found in account settings
- Free tier includes API access
-
Connect PHP form to Brevo
// Example integration code
$apiKey = 'your-api-key';
$listId = 'your-list-id';
// Submit new subscriber to Brevo
-
Test subscription flow:
- Submit test email
- Verify it appears in Brevo
- Check confirmation email arrives
Week 6: Newsletter Templates
-
Create email templates in Brevo
- Use Brevo's drag-and-drop editor
- Match your neighborhood association branding
- Create 2-3 reusable templates
-
Send test newsletter
- Small test group (10-20 people)
- Verify delivery and formatting
- Check links work
Phase 4: DNS Migration (Week 7)
Critical: Do this during low-traffic time (weekend)
-
Update DNS records:
- Point domain A record to 1984 server
- Update MX records for email
- Wait 24-48 hours for propagation
-
Monitor carefully:
- Check website is accessible
- Verify email is working
- Have Wix backup plan for 48 hours
Phase 5: Complete Migration (Week 8)
-
Verify everything works:
- Website fully functional
- Email sending/receiving
- Newsletter subscriptions working
- All forms functional
-
Cancel Wix:
- After 100% confidence
- Export any final data
- Cancel subscription
-
Document your setup:
- Login credentials
- Configuration details
- Troubleshooting guide
Phase 6: Optimization (Ongoing)
Month 2-3:
- Set up automated backups
- Implement analytics
- Create admin documentation
- Train volunteers on system
Month 4-6:
- Collect feedback from subscribers
- Optimize email templates
- Consider A/B testing subject lines
- Review deliverability metrics
Technical Specifications for 1984 Hosting
What's Included in Regular Shared Hosting
Web Hosting:
- OpenLiteSpeed web server (faster than Apache)
- PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2 support
- MySQL/MariaDB databases (unlimited)
- Let's Encrypt SSL certificates (auto-renewal)
- Daily automated backups
- Unlimited storage and bandwidth
Email Features:
- Unlimited email accounts
- IMAP/POP3/SMTP access
- Webmail interface (RoundCube)
- Spam filtering (SpamAssassin)
- Email forwarding
- Catch-all addresses
- Mailing lists
Domain Management:
- Free FreeDNS service
- Unlimited subdomains
- Domain parking
- Domain forwarding
- DNS management tools
Control Panel (i-MSCP):
- File manager
- Database management (phpMyAdmin)
- Email management
- FTP/SFTP accounts
- Cron jobs
- Statistics
What You Need to Provide/Build
For Basic Setup:
- Your website files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP)
- Database content (MySQL dump)
- Email addresses you want created
For Newsletter System:
- Subscription form (can be simple PHP)
- Unsubscribe mechanism
- Privacy policy page
- Terms of service
Skills/Tools Helpful:
- FTP client (FileZilla - free)
- Text editor (VS Code, Sublime - free)
- Basic PHP knowledge (or hire developer)
- DNS management understanding
Legal & Compliance Considerations
CAN-SPAM Act Requirements (All Solutions Must Include)
- ✅ Clear unsubscribe link in every email
- ✅ Physical mailing address in footer
- ✅ Accurate "From" information
- ✅ Honest subject lines
- ✅ Honor unsubscribe requests within 10 days
GDPR Compliance (If Applicable)
- ✅ Explicit consent for subscriptions
- ✅ Clear privacy policy
- ✅ Right to data deletion
- ✅ Data portability
Note: Managed services (Mailchimp, Brevo, etc.) handle most compliance automatically. Self-hosted requires manual implementation.
Decision Framework
Choose Self-Hosted If:
- You have technical expertise or budget for development
- You want complete control over your data
- You plan to integrate deeply with your website
- You want lowest long-term costs
- You're comfortable managing compliance
Choose Brevo/Moosend Free If:
- You want immediate cost savings
- You need proven deliverability
- You want zero maintenance
- You may need features like automation later
- You want professional appearance
Choose Mailchimp If:
- You want the industry standard
- You need extensive integrations
- You want excellent support resources
- Budget isn't the primary concern
- You value familiar interface
Choose EmailOctopus If:
- You want very low cost
- You need simple, reliable service
- You value Amazon SES deliverability
- You don't need advanced features
- You're okay with limited templates
Additional Cost Savings Tips
- Annual Payment Discounts: Most services offer 10-20% discount for annual vs monthly payment
- Nonprofit Status: Register as 501(c)(3) to unlock nonprofit pricing
- Educational Discounts: Some providers offer discounts for community organizations
- Referral Programs: Mailchimp and others offer credits for referrals
- Email Less Frequently: If possible, reduce to 2-3x/month to stay in free tiers
Important Notes About 1984 Hosting
Advantages
✅ Privacy & Ethics: Iceland-based, strong civil liberties protections
✅ Transparency: No hidden fees, price doesn't increase on renewal
✅ Green Energy: 100% renewable energy sources
✅ Anonymous Payment: Accepts Bitcoin/Monero
✅ Generous Resources: Truly unlimited on shared hosting
✅ Good Uptime: Stable, reliable infrastructure
✅ Free DNS: High-quality FreeDNS service included
✅ Responsive Support: Ticket-based support, knowledgeable staff
Considerations
⚠️ Learning Curve: i-MSCP panel different from cPanel
⚠️ Support Hours: Limited to business hours (Iceland time)
⚠️ Server Location: Iceland servers (may be slower for US visitors, but usually negligible)
⚠️ No Phone Support: Email/ticket only
⚠️ DIY Approach: More technical than Wix
⚠️ No Website Builder: Must use HTML/PHP or WordPress/CMS
Is 1984 Right for Your Organization?
Choose 1984 if you:
- Value privacy and civil liberties
- Want to avoid mainstream US hosting companies
- Have basic technical skills or can hire help
- Need to host multiple sites eventually
- Want stable, predictable pricing
- Support green energy initiatives
Maybe choose alternatives if you:
- Need phone support for emergencies
- Want drag-and-drop website builder
- Are completely non-technical with no budget for help
- Need servers physically close to US visitors (though Iceland isn't terrible)
Conclusion & Final Recommendations
Recommended Path for Your Neighborhood Association
Best Choice: 1984 Regular Shared Hosting + Brevo Free
Why this combination wins:
- Immediate savings: $35 first year vs. $348 with Wix = $313 saved
- Long-term value: $238/year vs. $348 = $110/year saved forever
- No vendor lock-in: Own your data completely
- Room to grow: Unlimited sites, databases, email accounts
- Professional email delivery: Brevo's free tier is genuinely excellent
- Ethical hosting: Support a privacy-focused, green energy company
3-Year Savings: $533
10-Year Savings: $1,100
Action Plan
This Week:
- Sign up for Brevo free account
- Test sending newsletter through Brevo
- Familiarize yourself with their interface
Next 2 Weeks:
- Sign up for 1984 hosting (1-year plan, $35)
- Begin website migration planning
- Document current Wix setup
Within 2 Months:
- Complete website migration to 1984
- Set up PHP subscription form
- Integrate with Brevo API
- Cancel Wix subscription
Within 6 Months:
- Fully optimized newsletter system
- Automated subscription workflow
- Regular newsletter schedule established
- Documentation for future volunteers
Alternative Paths
If you're very technical:
→ Choose 1984 VPS #1 + Custom solution for $8.42/month total
If you want multiple sites:
→ Choose 1984 Shared (3-year prepay) for $5/month effective cost
If you're nervous about migration:
→ Start with just Brevo Free while keeping Wix, then migrate hosting when comfortable
Budget Summary
| Expense |
Current (Wix) |
Recommended |
Savings |
| Year 1 |
$348 |
$35 |
$313 |
| Year 2 |
$348 |
$238 |
$110 |
| Year 3 |
$348 |
$238 |
$110 |
| 3-Year Total |
$1,044 |
$511 |
$533 |
| 10-Year Total |
$3,480 |
$2,380 |
$1,100 |
The Bottom Line
By switching to 1984 Hosting + Brevo Free, your neighborhood association will:
- Save 51% on website and newsletter costs
- Gain complete control over subscriber data
- Support ethical, green hosting
- Have unlimited room for growth
- Eliminate vendor lock-in concerns
- Build technical capacity in your community
Total time investment: 40-60 hours for complete migration
Skill level needed: Basic-to-intermediate web development (or hire 20 hours of help)
Risk level: Low (can test everything before canceling Wix)
Payoff: Significant savings and independence
Questions to Consider
- Do you have volunteer/staff time for initial development work?
- Is someone available to manage technical issues if they arise?
- How important is data ownership vs. convenience?
- Will you need advanced features (automation, segmentation) in the future?
- What's your comfort level with DIY vs. managed solutions?
Analysis prepared for 300-subscriber neighborhood association newsletter
Last updated: December 2025
Prices subject to change - verify current pricing before committing
