Mailchimp Review: Still the King of Email Marketing?
Mailchimp pioneered accessible email marketing when it launched in 2001. The chimp mascot became iconic, and for years, "Mailchimp" was synonymous with email newsletters. But with fierce competition from ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, and others, does Mailchimp still hold up?
We tested Mailchimp for email campaigns, automations, and landing pages over two months. Here's our honest assessment.
The Verdict: Mailchimp
Mailchimp remains a solid choice for email marketing with its user-friendly interface and generous free tier. However, pricing can escalate quickly as your list grows.
Pros
- Very easy to use
- Generous free tier
- Great template library
Cons
- Pricing increases rapidly with list size
- Limited automation on lower plans
- Customer support could be better
What Mailchimp Offers
Mailchimp has evolved from a pure email tool into an "all-in-one marketing platform." Beyond email, it now offers landing pages, social posting, postcards, and even a basic website builder. Whether that's a strength or distraction depends on your needs.
Key Features
- Email Campaigns: Drag-and-drop builder with 100+ templates. Works great for newsletters and promotions.
- Email Automations: Welcome series, abandoned cart, date-based triggers, and more.
- Audience Management: Tags, segments, and behavioral targeting to organize contacts.
- Landing Pages: Build simple landing pages without a website.
- Forms & Popups: Embed signup forms on your site or create popups.
- Reports & Analytics: Open rates, click rates, revenue tracking, and comparative reports.
- Social Posting: Schedule posts to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- Customer Journey Builder: Visual automation builder for complex sequences.
Pricing Tiers
- Free: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month, basic templates, 1 audience.
- Essentials ($13/month): 500 contacts, 5,000 emails/month, A/B testing, 24/7 email support.
- Standard ($20/month): 500 contacts, 6,000 emails/month, automations, retargeting ads.
- Premium ($350/month): 10,000+ contacts, advanced segmentation, phone support.
Warning: Prices scale with contact count. 10,000 contacts on Standard costs $100/month. 50,000 costs $350/month.
Mailchimp vs ConvertKit
| Feature | Mailchimp | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | 500 contacts | 1,000 subscribers |
| Best For | General Business | Creators |
| Automation | Good | Excellent |
| Landing Pages | Yes | Yes |
| Visual Builder | Drag & Drop | Simple Editor |
| E-commerce | Strong | Basic |
Who Should Use Mailchimp?
- Small Businesses: Especially those new to email marketing.
- E-commerce Stores: Strong integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.
- Agencies: Managing multiple client accounts.
- Anyone Starting Out: The free tier is genuinely useful.
Drawbacks
- Expensive at Scale: Costs balloon as your list grows.
- Limited Automation on Lower Tiers: Customer Journey Builder requires Standard+.
- Support Quality: Free users only get email support for 30 days.
- Feature Bloat: The "all-in-one" additions can feel scattered.
Final Verdict
Mailchimp is still great for beginners and small lists. The interface is approachable, and the free tier lets you start without investment. However, as you grow, compare pricing carefully—competitors like ConvertKit or Brevo may offer better value at scale.
Our recommendation: Start with Mailchimp if you're new to email marketing. Revisit your choice when you hit 5,000+ subscribers to ensure you're getting the best value.