Groups.io has been my go to for close to a decade now for email listservs for different groups! It is easy to create a new one and free for smallish groups, but read the security settings as you go to make sure you understand the difference between a listserv anyone can see the messages on, and one only members can see. (Either can be fine but for different kinds of groups!)
People who subscribe can create an account to see messages online or customize their email frequency settings, but they also don’t have to. They can do everything from sending a new email to the whole group to replying to the whole group or just the sender on an existing message from clicking normal looking links in the body of their normal emails wherever they usually read emails. So it’s relatively easy to adopt and gives you an “unsubscribe” button to end the reply-all chains of “I moved, take me off.”
If what you need is more sending email updates rather than letting everyone respond to each other, Buttondown is a nice lightweight service for that that is privacy focused and not big tech.
Cryptpad has secure and private forms (Google Forms alternative) and you can also do some spreadsheets and google docs-type stuff there.
CASSEY yes!!!! I was hungering for a listserv resource, thank you so much for sharing this one! I'll add it and the other resources you mentioned (love a google form alternative) to the list! Really appreciate you sharing these.
oooooh I didn't know about this one, thank you so much for sharing! love how so many platforms can win out at this point just by being simpler than other tools 'before they got complicated' haha
This is such a generous resource! Thank you for this!!
💜💜 Would love to hear if you try any of these out!
Wow!! Thank you for compiling this!!
J.
my actual pleasure!
This is so helpful and amazingly helpful (understatement!!!). Thank you!
Groups.io has been my go to for close to a decade now for email listservs for different groups! It is easy to create a new one and free for smallish groups, but read the security settings as you go to make sure you understand the difference between a listserv anyone can see the messages on, and one only members can see. (Either can be fine but for different kinds of groups!)
People who subscribe can create an account to see messages online or customize their email frequency settings, but they also don’t have to. They can do everything from sending a new email to the whole group to replying to the whole group or just the sender on an existing message from clicking normal looking links in the body of their normal emails wherever they usually read emails. So it’s relatively easy to adopt and gives you an “unsubscribe” button to end the reply-all chains of “I moved, take me off.”
If what you need is more sending email updates rather than letting everyone respond to each other, Buttondown is a nice lightweight service for that that is privacy focused and not big tech.
Cryptpad has secure and private forms (Google Forms alternative) and you can also do some spreadsheets and google docs-type stuff there.
CASSEY yes!!!! I was hungering for a listserv resource, thank you so much for sharing this one! I'll add it and the other resources you mentioned (love a google form alternative) to the list! Really appreciate you sharing these.
❤️
Thank you. And this is the first time I’ve felt the need to use the save feature on Substack.
This is such a wonderful resource, thank you.
Already in my bookmarks
Thank you so much. So many resources I haven't heard of. This is wonderful!
So glad to hear this, Marlita!!
wowzer. i didn’t expect to see a frame from Hackers in 2025. that’s some nostalgia.
HA this is me trying to make Hackers timeless
rallly.co is also a good tool similar to doodle, but like doodle was before it got complicated
oooooh I didn't know about this one, thank you so much for sharing! love how so many platforms can win out at this point just by being simpler than other tools 'before they got complicated' haha
This is beyond cool
This is so useful. I have myself noticed that more people are getting interested in community building (myself included). Thank you for this!
💜 Love to hear it!
Air table is great for organizing so many things.
Yes! Thank you for adding this. a great one!!
woowww! Thank you for compiling all these resources! 💜💜💜
"Watch the 🐎 pour in" is beautiful, and also Florence and the Machine coded ☺️
ha, I don't know the reference but did search 'florence horse' which netted me some A+ pictures of horses in Italy!
An old family joke - it felt like every song on Lungs made reference to horses, most famously Dog Days Are Over....
Partiful and Luma own my life this year. Best sites on the 'net.
i'm just glad there's something in between eventbrite and...a facebook event now??