The self-hosted Constant Contact alternative
Constant Contact is a friendly hosted tool for small businesses, but it’s SaaS with per-contact pricing that climbs as your list grows, and you can’t run it yourself. Broadcast runs on your own server for a one-time license: own your data, drop per-contact billing, and keep the campaigns and automations most teams actually use.
The short answer
Constant Contact can’t be self-hosted: it’s a hosted SaaS that prices by number of contacts. If you want to own your email platform and stop paying monthly per-contact fees, Broadcast is the self-hosted, one-time-purchase ($250) alternative: it runs on your own server, supports unlimited subscribers, and sends through Amazon SES, Postmark, Mailgun, or any SMTP. Constant Contact remains the easier pick if you want a fully managed tool with phone support and no server to run.
At a Glance
Straight answer: there’s no self-hosted edition of Constant Contact: it’s SaaS only. If you specifically want to run email marketing on your own server and stop paying per contact, Broadcast is the closest self-hosted, buy-once option. If you value phone support, event and survey tools, and a tool a non-technical team can run with zero setup, Constant Contact is still the easier choice, and this page is honest about that trade.
Feature Comparison
Where Broadcast and Constant Contact each pull ahead
| Feature | Broadcast | Constant Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | Yes, your server | No (SaaS only) |
| Pricing | $250 one-time | Monthly, scales w/ contacts |
| Subscribers/contacts | Unlimited | Tiered by count |
| Campaigns & templates | Built-in | Built-in |
| Automations / sequences | Built-in (conditions) | Yes |
| Events / surveys | No | Yes |
| Phone support | Email support | Yes |
| ESP choice | SES, Postmark, any SMTP | Built-in only |
| Data ownership / residency | Your server (EU-friendly) | US-based SaaS |
| Setup & maintenance | You self-host | Fully managed |
Constant Contact is genuinely easier for a non-technical team and adds event and survey tools. The question is whether owning your platform and dropping per-contact billing matters more.
Who Should Choose What
Choose Broadcast if you…
- • Want to self-host and own your data (Constant Contact can’t be self-hosted)
- • Are tired of per-contact pricing that climbs with your list
- • Need solid campaigns and automation, not events and surveys
- • Care about EU data residency / GDPR control
- • Prefer a one-time license to a monthly subscription
Constant Contact may be better if you…
- • Want a fully managed tool with phone support
- • Use its event registration and survey features
- • Have a non-technical team and no server to run
- • Prefer guided onboarding over self-hosting
Frequently Asked Questions
Own your email marketing
Self-hosted, buy-once, no per-contact billing.
Still deciding?
Comparisons cover the tradeoffs. How To covers whether Broadcast does the specific thing you need, organized by what you are trying to accomplish rather than by feature name. If the answer is no, it says no.
Choose Your License
One-time payment, unlimited emails forever
"I was tired of spending hundreds per month on Beehiiv. Then I found Broadcast and now I can scale at my own pace without burning money I worked hard for."
@bensnichedsitesRegular License
For technical founders & developers
- Single server deployment
- Unlimited email campaigns
- Free updates for version 2.x
- Email support included
Extended License
For agencies and consultants managing multiple client deployments
- Up to 25 servers deployment
- Everything in Regular License
- Designed for client management