Mailchimp vs MailerLite
The ultimate side-by-side head-to-head analysis for 2026.
Short answer
- Price: not directly comparable — Mailchimp is from $13/user/mo, MailerLite is free tier available.
- How to start: Mailchimp is from $13/user/mo, MailerLite is free tier available.
These lines are generated from the pricing we track, not from a paid placement. We do not publish a quality score, because we do not have one we can stand behind. They cannot tell you which tool fits your workflow — the sections below are there for that. How we score tools.
Mailchimp
MailerLite
Category
Marketing
Marketing
Base Price
$13/user/mo
Free tier
Public API
Yes
Yes
Mobile app
Yes
No
Open source / self-hostable
No
No
SSO (SAML)
Yes
No
Choose Mailchimp if:
E-commerce Brands, Bloggers, and Small Marketing Teams.
Choose MailerLite if:
Creators and small businesses starting an email list.
Mailchimp: pros & cons
- Ease of Entry: The most user-friendly interface for starting with email marketing.
- Ready Templates: Includes hundreds of professional designs for every industry.
- AI Support: Benefit from an AI assistant for design and copywriting advice.
- Huge Integration: Speaks directly with Shopify, WordPress, and hundreds of other apps.
- 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.
MailerLite: pros & cons
- Free tier that small senders can live on
- Clean, quick editor
- Landing pages included
- Approval process rejects some accounts
- Fewer integrations than larger rivals
- Advanced automation is limited
Our verdict on Mailchimp
The go-to choice for those seeking a reliable, stylish, and popular email marketing solution.
Our verdict on MailerLite
The best free tier in email marketing. Growth beyond a few thousand subscribers invites a comparison.