Email and SMS for online stores, with AI that writes, segments and predicts.
Marketing & Ads
Mailchimp
Email newsletters, automations and sign-up forms for small businesses, with AI help.
4.0our rating
FreemiumFrom $0Works with Claude Code
Quick take
- The best-known email tool for small businesses: forms, newsletters, automations and reports in one place, with 300+ app connections.
- Free covers only 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, so it's for testing, not running a real list.
- Standard at $20 a month (for 500 contacts) is where it gets useful: AI writing with Intuit Assist, 200 automation flows and A/B testing.
- You pay by contacts, so the bill climbs as your list grows. MailerLite and Kit are cheaper for a plain newsletter.
What is Mailchimp?
Mailchimp is the email marketing tool most small businesses have heard of. You build your email list with sign-up forms and pop-ups, design newsletters with a drag-and-drop editor and templates that pick up your logo and colours, and set up automations like a welcome series for new subscribers or a reminder when someone leaves items in their cart. It connects to Shopify, WooCommerce, Square, Wix, Canva and 300+ other apps.
Intuit Assist, Mailchimp's AI (Mailchimp is owned by Intuit, the company behind QuickBooks), drafts emails, suggests subject lines and builds ready-to-launch automations. It comes with Standard and Premium plans at no extra cost, in English and in some countries only. Standard also adds send-time optimisation, custom-coded templates and up to 200 automation flows. SMS is a paid add-on in some countries.
The catch is the price as you grow. You pay by contacts, and the free plan has shrunk to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month. Essentials starts at $13 a month but limits automations to 4 steps, and Premium jumps to $350 a month. If you mostly send a regular newsletter, MailerLite or Kit cost less for the same list.
Who's using it, and who it's for
- Small business owners
- Online stores
- Non-profits
- Marketers
- Agencies
Small businesses that want a well-known, all-round email tool with lots of templates and app connections, and are happy to pay more as the list grows.
Key features
Email builder and templates
Drag-and-drop editor with templates that pick up your logo and brand colours automatically.
Automation flows
Welcome series, abandoned cart reminders, birthday emails and follow-ups that send on their own.
Intuit Assist
AI that drafts emails, suggests subject lines and builds automations, on Standard and Premium.
Forms and pop-ups
Sign-up forms, landing pages and pop-ups to grow your list from your website.
Segments and testing
Group contacts by behaviour and test subject lines, content and send times to see what works.
300+ integrations
Connects to Shopify, WooCommerce, Square, Wix, Canva, Stripe, Salesforce and more.
How we rate it
4.0 / 5
Our rating
From using the tool ourselves. The average of the five scores.
- Ease of use
- 4.5
- Features
- 4.5
- Output quality
- 4.0
- Value for money
- 3.0
- Speed & reliability
- 4.0
How quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
How completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.
How good the results are before you fix them.
What you get for the price, including the free plan.
How fast it is and how often it falls over.
Mailchimp pricing
Free
$0
Testing Mailchimp with a tiny list.
- Up to 250 contacts
- 500 sends a month, 250 a day
- 1 seat
- Email support for the first 30 days
Essentials
From $13/mo
A small list that just needs newsletters and basic automations.
- From 500 contacts
- Sends up to 10 times your contact limit each month
- 3 seats
- Automations up to 4 steps
- 24/7 email and chat support
- Our pick
Standard
From $20/mo
Small businesses that want AI help and proper automations.
- From 500 contacts, 12 times that in sends
- Intuit Assist AI at no extra cost
- Up to 200 automation flows
- 5 seats and 5 audiences
Premium
From $350/mo
Larger lists that want phone support and advanced testing.
- From 10,000 contacts, 15 times that in sends
- Unlimited seats
- Multivariate testing and predictive segments
- Phone and priority support
Which plan should you pick?
Standard is the plan most small businesses should pick, because it has the AI and the automations. Essentials is fine if you only send a newsletter. Use the price calculator on Mailchimp's site with your real contact count, since prices rise with list size and vary by country.
Prices in USD unless noted, checked 3 November 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on their site before you buy.
Best use cases
Ways Mailchimp can slot into your week.
- 1
Monthly newsletter
Draft the email with Intuit Assist or Claude, drop it into a branded template and schedule it for your whole list.
- 2
Welcome series
New subscribers get three emails over a week: a thank-you with a discount code, your story and your best sellers.
- 3
Abandoned cart reminders
Connect your Shopify or WooCommerce store and remind shoppers about the items they left behind.
- 4
Grow your list
Add a pop-up to your website that offers a freebie in exchange for an email address.
How it fits your tech stack
Pros and cons
Pros
- Easy to learn, with lots of templates
- Connects to almost every shop and website platform
- Intuit Assist AI included on Standard and Premium
- Solid reports and A/B testing
Cons
- Gets expensive as your list grows
- The free plan is tiny: 250 contacts and 500 sends a month
- Essentials limits automations to 4 steps
- Intuit Assist is English-only and not in every country
- You pay overage fees if you go past your contact or send limit
Mailchimp alternatives
The closest alternatives to Mailchimp in the library, best rated first.
Klaviyo
4.3
Best for abandoned cart recovery
Compare with Mailchimp
Manychat
4.3
Best for sending a link by DM to everyone who comments a keyword
Compare with Mailchimp
beehiiv
4.2
Best for launching a newsletter
Compare with Mailchimp
Brevo
4.2
Best for large lists you email occasionally
Compare with Mailchimp
Why it made the list
It's the most widely used email marketing tool for small businesses, and it connects to almost every shop, booking and website platform.
Mailchimp FAQ
How much does Mailchimp cost?
There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $0. Prices checked 3 November 2026 against Mailchimp's pricing page.
Is Mailchimp free?
Yes, Mailchimp has a free option. Standard is the plan most small businesses should pick, because it has the AI and the automations. Essentials is fine if you only send a newsletter. Use the price calculator on Mailchimp's site with your real contact count, since prices rise with list size and vary by country.
What is Mailchimp best for?
Mailchimp is best for regular email newsletters for a small business, welcome and abandoned cart automations and growing a list with forms and pop-ups. Small businesses that want a well-known, all-round email tool with lots of templates and app connections, and are happy to pay more as the list grows.
What are the best Mailchimp alternatives?
The closest alternatives are Klaviyo, Manychat, beehiiv and Brevo. Klaviyo is best for abandoned cart recovery.
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