10 Best Mailchimp Alternatives in 2027
People leave Mailchimp for three main reasons: the free plan is small, the price steps up with every contact band, and automation sits behind paid tiers. The right replacement depends on which of those frustrates you. This guide compares ten alternatives using each vendor’s current pricing page, and tells you who each one suits. Here is what to know about Mailchimp alternatives before you decide.
Why people switch from Mailchimp
- A small free plan. Mailchimp Free allows 500 sends a month, one seat and one audience, with no automation flows.
- Contact-based bands. Standard costs $29.99 a month at 501 to 1,500 contacts and $87.67 at 5,001 to 10,000 (regular rates, checked 6 November 2026).
- A promotional cliff. The 50% first-year offer on Standard ends after 12 months and the price doubles.
- Feature gating. Dynamic content, custom reports and fuller automation start at Standard.
Mailchimp is not a bad tool; for many teams it is still a sensible choice. See our Mailchimp pricing guide for the details before you decide to move.
Mailchimp alternatives compared
| Alternative | Best for | Free plan | Pricing basis | Notable entry price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | Simple newsletters and small business | 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails | Subscribers | Comfort $12/mo at 500 (monthly billing) |
| Brevo | Budget and transactional email | Free forever, 300 emails/day | Emails sent | Starter $9/mo for 5,000 emails |
| Omnisend | Ecommerce stores | 250 contacts, 500 emails | Contacts | Standard about $16/mo at 500 |
| Klaviyo | Data-heavy ecommerce | 250 profiles, 500 sends | Active profiles | $20/mo at 500 profiles |
| ActiveCampaign | Advanced automation and CRM | None (trial) | Contacts | Starter $15/mo at 1,000 (annual) |
| Kit | Creators | Up to 10,000 subscribers | Subscribers | Creator $33/mo at 1,000 (yearly) |
| GetResponse | Funnels and webinars | None (14-day trial) | List size | Check USD price on vendor page |
| EmailOctopus | Low-cost newsletters | 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails | Subscribers | Pro from $9/mo (yearly) |
| beehiiv | Newsletter businesses | 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends | Subscribers | Lite $49/mo at 1,000 (yearly) |
| HubSpot Marketing Hub | CRM-led marketing | Free tools, 2 users | Marketing contacts | Starter from $20/seat/mo list |
Sources: vendor pricing pages, 6 November 2026. Entry prices differ in billing basis and are not directly comparable.
The 10 best Mailchimp alternatives
1. MailerLite
MailerLite pairs a clean editor with free automation. Its free plan covers 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails, and Comfort ($12 a month at 500 subscribers) adds 50 automations and 3 seats.
Best for: Small businesses and newsletters
Pricing basis: Subscribers
Starting point: Free; Comfort $12/mo
Watch out for: The Free plan has knowledge-base support only.
What works well
- Free automations (3)
- Predictable subscriber-based pricing
- 10% off annual billing
Limitations to consider
- Fewer ecommerce features than Omnisend
- Sends on Comfort scale with list size
- Smaller integration library than Mailchimp
Our take: The safest first alternative to try for most small senders.
2. Brevo
Brevo charges mainly by emails sent rather than list size, includes transactional email on all plans, and has a free-forever plan with 300 emails a day. Starter is $9 a month for 5,000 emails and Standard, with automation and A/B testing, is $18.
Best for: Large lists emailed occasionally
Pricing basis: Emails sent
Starting point: Free; Starter $9/mo
Watch out for: Automation and A/B testing need Standard; logo removal is an add-on on Starter.
What works well
- Volume-based pricing
- Transactional email included
- Free-forever plan
Limitations to consider
- Daily cap on Free
- Gated features
- Check contact limits shown in the plan builder
Our take: A strong value pick if you send less often than your list size implies.
3. Omnisend
Omnisend includes ecommerce workflows on its free plan and Standard costs roughly $16 a month at 500 contacts (regular rate). SMS requires Pro.
Best for: Shopify and WooCommerce-style stores
Pricing basis: Contacts
Starting point: Free; Standard about $16/mo
Watch out for: SMS needs Pro and per-message fees.
What works well
- Ecommerce workflows
- 24/7 support
- Free migration
Limitations to consider
- Standard email volume capped at 12x contacts
- Pro scales fast
- Not built for B2B
Our take: The most direct Mailchimp replacement for a store. Read our Omnisend review.
4. Klaviyo
Klaviyo is the benchmark for ecommerce segmentation. Email is $20 a month at 500 profiles and $150 at 10,000; the free plan covers 250 profiles.
Best for: Data-driven stores
Pricing basis: Active profiles
Starting point: Free; email from $20/mo
Watch out for: Price climbs steeply at larger sizes: $720 at 50,000 profiles.
What works well
- Detailed segmentation
- Revenue reporting
- Large ecosystem
Limitations to consider
- Higher price
- SMS and add-ons extra
- More complex setup
Our take: Powerful but pricey. See Klaviyo vs Mailchimp.
5. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign’s plans start at $15 a month at 1,000 contacts (annual billing) on Starter, with Plus at $49, Pro at $79 and Enterprise at $145. Pro adds predictive sending and conditional content.
Best for: Teams that want CRM-style automation
Pricing basis: Contacts in bands
Starting point: No free plan; Starter $15/mo
Watch out for: Higher tiers cost much more as lists grow ($375 for Pro at 10,000).
What works well
- Deep automation
- Predictive sending on Pro
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Limitations to consider
- No free plan
- Prices rise quickly
- CRM pipelines are add-ons
Our take: Best when automation is central, not for plain newsletters.
6. Kit
Kit’s free plan allows up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts, and Creator adds unlimited automations, SMS and branding removal at $33 a month for 1,000 subscribers on yearly billing.
Best for: Writers, coaches and course sellers
Pricing basis: Subscribers
Starting point: Free; Creator $33/mo
Watch out for: Paid plans cost more per subscriber than MailerLite at small sizes.
What works well
- Huge free list
- Creator-focused features
- Sell digital products
Limitations to consider
- Not built for stores
- Pricier paid tiers
- Kit branding stays on the free plan
Our take: A natural fit for a creator business.
7. GetResponse
GetResponse bundles email with landing pages, sales funnels and webinars. It has no permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial, and its Marketer plan adds unlimited automation and abandoned cart recovery.
Best for: Marketers selling via funnels
Pricing basis: List size
Starting point: 14-day trial; paid plans vary
Watch out for: Check the USD price for your list size because the page localises currency.
What works well
- Funnels and webinars
- Unlimited sends on all plans
- Abandoned cart recovery on Marketer
Limitations to consider
- No free plan
- Starter allows one automation workflow
- Localised pricing confuses comparisons
Our take: Strong for funnel-led marketing.
8. EmailOctopus
EmailOctopus offers 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month free, with Pro from about $9 a month billed yearly and a 20% lifetime nonprofit discount.
Best for: Simple newsletters on a tight budget
Pricing basis: Subscribers
Starting point: Free; Pro from $9/mo
Watch out for: Free emails carry EmailOctopus branding.
What works well
- Low price
- Generous free sends
- Automatic upgrades
Limitations to consider
- Fewer advanced features
- One user on free
- Check ecommerce integrations for your store platform
Our take: A good cheap Mailchimp replacement for straightforward sending.
9. beehiiv
beehiiv’s free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends. Lite adds paid subscriptions at a 0% take rate and automations from $49 a month at 1,000 subscribers.
Best for: Publishers who want to monetise
Pricing basis: Subscribers
Starting point: Free; Lite $49/mo
Watch out for: Paid tiers are expensive for plain email.
What works well
- Unlimited sends
- Monetisation tools
- Recommendation network
Limitations to consider
- Newsletter-first
- Costly paid tiers
- Fewer business-email features
Our take: Best if the newsletter is the business.
10. HubSpot Marketing Hub
HubSpot offers a free tier for up to two users, a Starter plan from $20 a month per seat list (promotional pricing from $7 for new customers), and Professional from $800 a month with a $3,000 onboarding fee.
Best for: Teams that want marketing and CRM together
Pricing basis: Marketing contacts and seats
Starting point: Free; Starter list $20/seat/mo
Watch out for: Professional jumps to $800 a month plus onboarding.
What works well
- CRM integration
- Free tools
- Large ecosystem
Limitations to consider
- Steep upgrade jump
- Onboarding fee on Professional
- Contact-based charges
Our take: Right if you want one platform for marketing and CRM.
How to switch from Mailchimp without losing deliverability
- Export and clean your list. Remove bounces and long-inactive contacts.
- Rebuild key automations first. Welcome and abandoned-cart flows earn the most.
- Warm up the new sender. Start with engaged segments to build reputation.
- Keep Mailchimp running briefly. Overlap lets you compare results.
- Check domain authentication. Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC for your sending domain.
Some vendors, including Omnisend and Kit, advertise free migration. Ask before you pay for migration help.
Which Mailchimp alternative should you choose?
MailerLite or Brevo
Low entry prices and useful free plans. See best email software for small business.
Kit or beehiiv
Subscriber-focused pricing and creator tools. See best for newsletters.
What You Pay After Leaving Mailchimp
Most people searching for Mailchimp alternatives are reacting to a bill. So here is the arithmetic. The table compares Mailchimp Standard’s regular monthly rate with the closest entry paid plan on each alternative at three list sizes, using prices recorded from official pricing pages on 6 November 2026.
| List size | Mailchimp Standard | Omnisend Standard | Klaviyo Email | MailerLite Comfort (yearly) | ActiveCampaign Starter (yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $29.99 | $20 | $30 | $17.10 | $15 |
| 5,000 | $66.91 | $81 | $100 | $44.10 | $79 |
| 10,000 | $87.67 | $132 | $150 | $80.10 | $149 |
Mailchimp bands: 1,000 sits in 501–1,500, 5,000 in 2,501–5,000, 10,000 at the top of 5,001–10,000. Brevo is excluded because it prices on emails sent rather than contacts.
The surprise for many readers: Mailchimp is not the most expensive option at 5,000 or 10,000 contacts. It is cheaper than Omnisend, Klaviyo and ActiveCampaign at those sizes. If cost is your only reason to leave, MailerLite and Brevo are the credible savers; the others are better described as upgrades in capability than reductions in cost.
The Five Real Reasons People Switch
Price is rarely the only trigger. Matching your reason to the right alternative saves a wasted migration.
| Reason for leaving | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bill too high | MailerLite, Brevo | Lower entry pricing; Brevo bills by sends |
| Need ecommerce automation | Omnisend, Klaviyo | Built around store data and revenue flows |
| Need CRM and advanced automation | ActiveCampaign, HubSpot | Deeper automation and sales features |
| Want a generous free plan | Kit, beehiiv, EmailOctopus | Large free subscriber allowances |
| Want simple newsletters | MailerLite, Kit | Lightweight and creator-friendly |
Based on published plan information; not independent testing.
Migration Checklist: Moving Off Mailchimp Safely
Switching tools is easy to start and easy to get wrong. Use this sequence.
- Export everything first. Subscribers with consent status, tags, segments, unsubscribes and suppression lists.
- Record what works. List your top five automations and the revenue or clicks each produces, so you rebuild the ones that matter.
- Authenticate your domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) on the new platform before sending anything.
- Import and verify counts. Make sure consent and unsubscribes come across, then check the contact count against your expectations to avoid paying for duplicates.
- Rebuild flows, then test with real addresses.
- Warm up. Send first to your most engaged segment, then widen over two to three weeks.
- Keep Mailchimp for 30 days on the lowest plan as a fallback before closing it.
Several vendors advertise migration help; Omnisend, for instance, lists free migration support of up to five days. Confirm what is included before you rely on it.
What We Could Not Verify
Honesty matters in comparison content. We could not confirm several details that readers often ask about, and you should check them directly: Brevo’s Standard plan price at higher send volumes; GetResponse’s US-dollar prices (the page we read displayed a different currency); exact limits on HubSpot’s free email sending; and how each tool counts contacts across multiple audiences. We would rather say so than guess. Our methodology page explains how we handle gaps like these.
Mailchimp alternatives: final verdict
Our take: There is no single best Mailchimp alternative, only a best match for your reason to leave. MailerLite is the easiest starting point, Omnisend the most natural for stores, Brevo the best value for infrequent senders, and ActiveCampaign the choice for advanced automation. Compare pricing at your list size using our pricing comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to Mailchimp?
Kit offers the largest free list (up to 10,000 subscribers), while MailerLite includes free automations and Brevo allows 300 emails a day on a free-forever plan.
What is the cheapest Mailchimp alternative?
MailerLite, Brevo and EmailOctopus have low entry prices. Cheapest depends on list size and send volume, so compare at your own numbers.
Is Mailchimp still worth it?
Yes for many small businesses, particularly with its broad integrations. Its Free plan is limited and the 50% first-year offer ends after 12 months, so compare before you commit.
What is the best Mailchimp alternative for ecommerce?
Omnisend and Klaviyo are built around store data. Omnisend is usually cheaper, and Klaviyo goes deeper on segmentation.
Can I migrate my Mailchimp list without losing subscribers?
Yes. Export your contacts, clean the list, rebuild key automations and authenticate your sending domain. Some vendors offer free migration help.
Which Mailchimp alternative has the best automation?
ActiveCampaign is the usual choice for advanced automation. MailerLite and Omnisend also offer solid automation at lower prices.
What is the best Mailchimp alternative for ecommerce?
Omnisend and Klaviyo are the two most store-focused options. Omnisend Standard was cheaper than Klaviyo at every list size we compared; Klaviyo offers deeper data. See our Omnisend and Klaviyo listings for details.
Is Mailchimp more expensive than its alternatives?
Not always. At 5,000 and 10,000 contacts Mailchimp Standard was cheaper than Omnisend, Klaviyo and ActiveCampaign in our recording, though MailerLite and Brevo were lower still.
How long does it take to switch from Mailchimp?
Plan for about two to four weeks: a few days to import and authenticate, a week or two to rebuild flows, and a warm-up period before sending to your whole list.
Still comparing options?
Use the PreferWise comparison tool to put tools side by side, or ask for a free shortlist. Listings are alphabetical, with no paid placement in the directory order.
How this guide was made: PreferWise compares public product pages, pricing pages and documentation. We did not independently lab-test deliverability or inbox placement, and plans change often, so confirm current pricing on the vendor site before buying. PreferWise may earn a commission if you sign up through some links on this page; that never changes how tools are ordered or scored. See our affiliate disclosure and how we rank.