Mailchimp
Email and SMS marketing with automations, priced by contact count
Mailchimp report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 17, 2026
Best for newsletters and promo emails for small businesses
Mailchimp, now part of Intuit, covers the whole email marketing job for a small business: campaigns, sign-up forms, landing pages, automated flows and SMS. It starts at $13 a month for 500 contacts, about what a typical email tool charges. But the price climbs with your list, and proper automations need Standard at $20.
Who Mailchimp is for
- Great if you send a regular newsletter or promotions to a small list
- Handy when you sell on Shopify, WooCommerce or Square and want automated emails
- Good for teams that want email and SMS campaigns in one account
Who Mailchimp is not for
- Pricey if your list is big, at $110 a month on Essentials for 10,000 contacts
- Tight if you stay free, since sending stops at 250 contacts and 500 emails a month
- Skip it if surprise bills worry you, as passing a contact or send limit bills overages automatically
Why Mailchimp gets a 2.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyEssentials is $13 a month for up to 500 contacts, right at the middle of what email tools charge. It climbs with the list, though, to $110 a month at 10,000 contacts, and flows longer than 4 steps need Standard at $20.
- CFree plan and trialFree for 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with 1 seat and limited templates. You'll pass 250 contacts quickly, and then sending pauses until you upgrade or trim the list. Paid plans have a 14-day trial.
- BFeaturesCampaigns, templates, popup forms, landing pages, up to 200 automated flows, segmentation, dynamic content, multivariate testing on Premium and an SMS add-on. That's the whole email marketing job.
- AEase of use4.85 from 51,677 App Store ratings, the top band by a long way. The phone app can even build and send an email or scan a business card into your contacts.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb, iPhone and Android, with Shopify, WooCommerce, Canva, Zapier, Square, Wix, Squarespace and Stripe, and an API. No desktop app, which keeps it off an A.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Mailchimp's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/mailchimp#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/mailchimp.svg" alt="Mailchimp: 2.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Mailchimp stands among email marketing and newsletter tools
Mailchimp's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 21 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on ease of use (A, above 23 of 24) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 2).
Its paid plans start at $13 a month, against a middle price of $13 for the category: 11 of the 22 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 25 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Mailchimp’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 24, level with 12
- CFree plan and trialAbove 2 of 24, level with 17
- BFeaturesAbove 3 of 24, level with 21
- AEase of useAbove 23 of 24, level with 1
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 24, level with 24
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 23 email marketing and newsletter tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Mailchimp, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace Mailchimp you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 21 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade. It costs $156 a year.
What you could make
- Forms and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- Email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Shopify, WooCommerce and Canva among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Mailchimp’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Mailchimp?
Mailchimp is an email marketing platform from Intuit for small and growing businesses. It covers campaign emails, sign-up and popup forms, automated flows and an SMS add-on, and its paid plans are priced by how many contacts you store. A mobile app for iOS and Android handles quick sends, contact imports and campaign reports.
Mailchimp has a free plan. Paid plans start at $13 per month for up to 500 contacts, billed monthly. See every plan
Good for
- Small businesses sending regular newsletters and promotions
- Online shops on Shopify, WooCommerce or Square that want automated emails
- Teams that want email and SMS campaigns in one account
Worth knowing
- The Free plan stops at 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, and sending pauses until you upgrade or trim the list.
- Paid plans bill overages automatically when you pass your contact or monthly send limit.
- Essentials caps automations at 4 flow steps; dynamic content and custom reports start at Standard.
- SMS is a paid add-on in select countries, needs an approved application, and its monthly credits expire unused.
Key features
- Automation flows
- Standard and Premium allow up to 200 automated flows, such as welcome series and abandoned-cart emails. Essentials is limited to 4 flow steps and Free has none.
- Templates and email builder
- Pre-built templates on every plan (a limited set on Free). Custom-coded templates can be built on any plan but only sent from Standard and Premium.
- Segmentation and dynamic content
- Standard adds advanced segmentation, pre-built segments and dynamic content; Premium adds predictive segmentation.
- Popup forms and landing pages
- Popup sign-up forms are included on every plan, and the Free plan can also build landing pages and forms.
- SMS and MMS add-on
- Paid plans can add SMS, with MMS on Standard and Premium in select countries, after an application is approved. Credits are bought in monthly blocks.
- Mobile app
- The iOS and Android app can build and send emails, scan business cards into contacts, make simple landing pages and show campaign reports.
Mailchimp pricing
- Starts at
- $13 per month for up to 500 contacts, billed monthly
- Free plan
- 1 seat, 1 audience, up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month (250 a day), limited templates and email support for the first 30 days.
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of the Essentials or Standard plan
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1 seat, 1 audience, 250 contacts and 500 sends a month. Sending pauses when a limit is passed. |
| Essentials | $13per month for up to 500 contacts, billed monthly | 3 seats, 3 audiences, sends of 10 times your contacts, scheduling and 4-step flows. Price rises with the list: $110 a month at 10,000 contacts. |
| Standard | $20per month for up to 500 contacts, billed monthly | 5 seats, up to 200 automation flows, dynamic content and custom reports. Price rises with the list: $135 a month at 10,000 contacts. |
| Premium | $350per month for up to 10,000 contacts, billed monthly | Unlimited seats and audiences, phone and priority support, multivariate testing. Price rises with the list: $815 a month at 50,000 contacts. |
Read from mailchimp.com on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Mailchimp before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Nonprofit15% off for nonprofits and charities
Mailchimp's pricing page offers nonprofits and charities 15% off. You sign up for a free account and then contact the Billing team with your username and website.
Stated on mailchimp.com - Other savings15% off the first 12 months at 10,000+ contacts
New customers on a monthly Essentials, Standard or Premium plan with 10,000 or more contacts get 15% off for the first 12 months, then the list price.
Stated on mailchimp.com
How people rate the Mailchimp app
4.9
out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app
- 5 stars89%
- 4 stars8%
- 3 stars1%
- 2 stars<1%
- 1 star<1%
51,677 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Oct 17, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing
Works with
Mailchimp alternatives
- Mailchimp vs Constant Contact
Free trial · from $10.20/mo
- Mailchimp vs Brevo
Free plan · from $9/mo
- Mailchimp vs MailerLite
Free plan · from $12/mo
- Mailchimp vs Klaviyo
Free plan · from $20/mo
- Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign
Free trial · from $15/mo
Common questions
Is Mailchimp free?
Mailchimp has a free plan. 1 seat, 1 audience, up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month (250 a day), limited templates and email support for the first 30 days. Paid plans start at $13 per month for up to 500 contacts, billed monthly.
How much does Mailchimp cost?
Mailchimp lists 4 plans. Free: $0. Essentials: $13 per month for up to 500 contacts, billed monthly. Standard: $20 per month for up to 500 contacts, billed monthly. Premium: $350 per month for up to 10,000 contacts, billed monthly. Prices were read from mailchimp.com on Oct 17, 2026.
What platforms does Mailchimp work on?
Mailchimp is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Mailchimp offer any discounts?
Mailchimp publicly lists the following: 15% off for nonprofits and charities; 15% off the first 12 months at 10,000+ contacts.
How is Mailchimp rated?
Mailchimp's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.9 out of 5 from 51,677 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026. That is the store's rating of the app, not a score from us.
Does Mailchimp have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Mailchimp is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Mailchimp have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Mailchimp is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Mailchimp open source?
Mailchimp is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Mailchimp have an API?
Yes. Mailchimp offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Mailchimp integrate with?
Mailchimp's listing names Shopify, WooCommerce, Canva, Zapier, Square, Wix, Squarespace and Stripe. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Mailchimp have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day free trial of the Essentials or Standard plan.
Who makes Mailchimp?
Mailchimp is made by Intuit Mailchimp. It dates from 2001.
What are the alternatives to Mailchimp?
The closest alternatives to Mailchimp in our directory are Constant Contact, Brevo, MailerLite, Klaviyo and ActiveCampaign. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Mailchimp.
How does Mailchimp compare with other email marketing and newsletter tools?
Mailchimp's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 21 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 2. It stands best on ease of use (A, above 23 of 24) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 2).
Is Mailchimp good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Mailchimp C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $13 a month, against a middle price of $13 for the category: 11 of the 22 others that charge start lower. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Could I make my own version of Mailchimp?
To replace Mailchimp you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 21 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade. It costs $156 a year. What you could not make: Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. Email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox. A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page. It plugs into other products, Shopify, WooCommerce and Canva among them, and has an API. This is a judgement from its listing. We have not built one.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 17, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.
- mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/
- mailchimp.com/forms/pricing/?currency=USD
- mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/compare-plans/
- mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans/
- mailchimp.com/legal/promotional-offer-terms/
- mailchimp.com/pricing/sms-marketing/
- mailchimp.com/features/mailchimp-mobile/
- mailchimp.com/about/