The most recognisable email marketing brand, easy to start with and broadly capable, with steeper pricing as your list grows.
Best for
Beginners and small senders who want a familiar interface. Cost scales sharply once your list grows past a few thousand contacts.
Every fee we track, grouped by where it applies.
Mailchimp is the default first email marketing platform for many businesses. The interface is familiar, templates are plentiful, and the free plan lets small senders trial the product.
The trade-off is cost as the list grows. Mailchimp bills for all contacts including unsubscribed ones, raised prices repeatedly since 2022, and reduced the free plan from 2,000 to 250 contacts. Many growing businesses comparison-shop alternatives once they hit a few thousand contacts.
Mailchimp was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Atlanta, USA.
Side-by-side with the closest alternatives by estimated cost.
Tier pricing based on 1,000 subscribers and 5,000 emails per month, using each free plan where it fits.
Mailchimp
$42/mo est.
Klaviyo
$42/mo est.
AWeber
$40/mo est.
Drip
$54/mo est.
The same questions Australian merchants ask before signing up.
Mailchimp starts at $16.18/mo (Essentials) on the Essentials plan for a small contact list. A free tier is also available. Pricing scales by total contact count, and Mailchimp bills for all contacts including unsubscribed ones, so lists that are not regularly cleaned can become expensive.
The free plan supports up to 250 contacts and includes basic campaign sending and the drag-and-drop email builder. Automation, A/B testing, scheduling, and custom templates require a paid plan. The free tier was reduced from a much higher limit in prior years, so earlier guides may show outdated information.
Yes. Mailchimp counts subscribed, unsubscribed, and non-subscribed contacts toward your billed total. If you do not regularly archive or delete unsubscribed contacts, your bill will rise even though those contacts are no longer receiving emails. This is one of the main cost complaints from long-term Mailchimp users.
Basic single-step automations are available on the Essentials plan. Multi-step customer journeys and advanced behavioural triggers require the Standard plan or above. The Standard plan also unlocks A/B testing and predictive segmentation.
Mailchimp's SMS feature is available only to US-based accounts. Australian businesses cannot currently access SMS marketing through Mailchimp and should use a separate SMS tool or consider a platform with native AU SMS support.
Yes. Mailchimp has the most recognisable interface in the category and is widely considered the easiest platform to start with. Its template library, built-in audience tools, and broad integration ecosystem make it a practical choice for businesses sending their first campaigns.
Both platforms target small businesses with straightforward email marketing needs. MailerLite is generally less expensive at comparable contact counts and has a cleaner interface, while Mailchimp has a larger template library, more integrations, and the broader brand recognition that makes it easier to get team buy-in. MailerLite charges only for active subscribers, whereas Mailchimp bills for all contacts including unsubscribed ones.
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