Best Mailchimp alternatives in 2026
These are the 6 closest tools to Mailchimp that we track, ordered by what they cost to start. Each entry says how its pricing differs from Mailchimp's — based on the numbers we hold, not on who pays us. We do not publish a quality score, because we do not have one we can stand behind.
Of the 6 alternatives on this page, 3 publish a price we could verify. The cheapest paid step among them is MailerLite at $12/mo, against $13/mo for Mailchimp — $1 less per month. 2 of them publish a free plan (ConvertKit, MailerLite).
Why people leave Mailchimp
- Price Hikes: Costs rise quite aggressively as your subscriber list grows.
- Advanced Automation: May not be as deep as ActiveCampaign for very complex funnels.
- Free Tier Shrinkage: Sending limits on the free plan have been reduced in recent years.
These are the drawbacks listed in our own Mailchimp review — not complaints we invented for this page.
- GetResponse
Email marketing platform.
vs Mailchimp: pricier to start ($19/mo billed monthly vs $13/mo).
First paid step: Starter at $19/mo billed monthly
Why switch to GetResponse
- Unlimited monthly email sends on every paid plan
- Course creator, webinars and website builder on the Creator tier
What you give up
- Starter allows only one automation workflow
Best for: Small businesses and creators running email marketing plus paid content.
- ActiveCampaign
Pro automation & CRM.
vs Mailchimp: pricier to start ($29/mo vs $13/mo).
Why switch to ActiveCampaign
- Infinite Automation: If you can imagine a marketing funnel, you can build it here.
- Integrated CRM: Seamlessly move leads from your email list to your sales pipeline.
What you give up
- Steep Learning Curve: The sheer power of the tool takes time and training to master.
Best for: E-commerce Businesses and Advanced Marketing Teams.
- Braze
Enterprise customer-engagement platform for instrumented, cross-channel lifecycle messaging and journey orchestration.
vs Mailchimp: priced differently (Quote only vs $13/mo).
Why switch to Braze
- Combines real-time profile and event data with segmentation, campaigns and journey orchestration.
- SDK and REST API paths support mobile, web and server-side data and messaging integrations.
What you give up
- No public price: MAU volume, edition, channels, credits, data and services require a scoped quote.
Best for: Product-led and consumer brands with meaningful mobile or web audiences, engineering support and mature lifecycle-marketing operations.
- Brevo
Email, SMS and marketing automation.
vs Mailchimp: priced differently (Free tier vs $13/mo).
Why switch to Brevo
- Pricing by send volume, not list size
- SMS and email in one platform
What you give up
- Deliverability trails premium providers
Best for: Small businesses with large lists who send occasionally.
- ConvertKit
Email for creators.
vs Mailchimp: priced differently (Free tier vs $13/mo).
First paid step: Creator at $33/user/mo
Why switch to ConvertKit
- Simple Automations: The most intuitive visual funnel builder in the market.
- Creator Network: Benefit from an internal network of other creators who can recommend you.
What you give up
- Basic Editor: Its email designer is very minimalist and not meant for highly visual layouts.
Best for: Blogger, YouTubers, and Professional Creators.
- MailerLite
Email marketing with a generous free tier.
vs Mailchimp: cheaper to start ($12/mo vs $13/mo).
First paid step: Comfort at $12/mo
Why switch to MailerLite
- Free tier that small senders can live on
- Clean, quick editor
What you give up
- Approval process rejects some accounts
Best for: Creators and small businesses starting an email list.
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