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Mailchimp
Email MarketingUpdated 2026

Why people leave Mailchimp
×Free plan limited to 500 contacts and 1,000 sends/mo
×Pricing jumps sharply at higher contact counts
×Automation is clunky compared to competitors
×Landing page builder is basic
Quick verdict
🏆 Best Overall
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign
From $29/mo
Try ActiveCampaign →
🆓 Best Free
HubSpot
HubSpot
Free / from $20/mo
Try HubSpot Free →
💰 Best Value
ConvertKit
ConvertKit
Free up to 1000 subscribers / from $25/mo
Try ConvertKit Free →

All Mailchimp Alternatives Reviewed

ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign Email Marketing TOP PICK
★★★★½ 4.6 · From $29/mo · Free plan
Try ActiveCampaign →

Advanced email marketing and marketing automation platform. Best-in-class automation builder with CRM features built in.

✓ Pros
Best automation builder
Built-in CRM
Excellent deliverability
✗ Cons
No free plan
Learning curve on automation
Best for: Marketers who need powerful automation
View site →
Klaviyo
Klaviyo Email Marketing
★★★★½ 4.6 · Free up to 250 contacts / from $20/mo · Free plan
Try Klaviyo Free →

The go-to email and SMS marketing platform for ecommerce. Deep Shopify integration and revenue-attributed reporting.

✓ Pros
Best ecom integrations
Revenue attribution
Strong SMS marketing
✗ Cons
Expensive for large lists
Overkill for non-ecom
Best for: Ecommerce brands on Shopify
View site →
ConvertKit
ConvertKit Email Marketing
★★★★☆ 4.4 · Free up to 1000 subscribers / from $25/mo · Free plan
Try ConvertKit Free →

Creator-focused email marketing with simple automations, landing pages, and commerce features for online creators.

✓ Pros
Built for creators
Simple tagging system
Good free plan
✗ Cons
Limited design options
Basic reporting
Best for: Creators, bloggers, and solopreneurs
View site →
Beehiiv
Beehiiv Email Marketing
★★★★½ 4.5 · Free / from $39/mo · Free plan
Try Beehiiv Free →

Newsletter-first platform built by the team behind Morning Brew. Beautiful publishing experience with built-in monetization.

✓ Pros
Best newsletter experience
Built-in monetization
Great analytics
✗ Cons
Less suited for marketing automation
Paid plans expensive
Best for: Newsletter writers and media brands
View site →
HubSpot
HubSpot CRM
★★★★½ 4.8 · Free / from $20/mo · Free plan
Try HubSpot Free →

All-in-one CRM platform with free tier covering contacts, deals, email tracking, and pipelines. Scales into marketing automation.

✓ Pros
Genuinely useful free plan
Huge integration ecosystem
Easy onboarding
✗ Cons
Paid plans get expensive fast
Reporting limited on lower tiers
Best for: All-round best for small businesses
View site →
Notion
Notion Project Management
★★★★½ 4.7 · Free / from $10/mo · Free plan
Try Notion Free →

All-in-one workspace combining notes, wikis, databases, and project tracking. Highly flexible and beloved by knowledge workers.

✓ Pros
Incredibly flexible
Great for knowledge management
Beautiful interface
✗ Cons
Can be overwhelming to set up
Offline mode limited
Best for: Teams wanting a flexible all-in-one workspace
View site →

Side-by-Side Comparison

Tool Price Free Plan Rating Best For Try
Mailchimp
Mailchimp (current)
Free / from $13/mo ✓ Yes ★★★★ 4.3 Beginners and small lists
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign
From $29/mo ✓ Yes ★★★★★ 4.6 Marketers who need powerful automation Try ActiveCampaign →
Klaviyo
Klaviyo
Free up to 250 contacts / from $20/mo ✓ Yes ★★★★★ 4.6 Ecommerce brands on Shopify Try Klaviyo →
ConvertKit
ConvertKit
Free up to 1000 subscribers / from $25/mo ✓ Yes ★★★★ 4.4 Creators, bloggers, and solopreneurs Try ConvertKit →
Beehiiv
Beehiiv
Free / from $39/mo ✓ Yes ★★★★★ 4.5 Newsletter writers and media brands Try Beehiiv →
HubSpot
HubSpot
Free / from $20/mo ✓ Yes ★★★★★ 4.8 All-round best for small businesses Try HubSpot →
Notion
Notion
Free / from $10/mo ✓ Yes ★★★★★ 4.7 Teams wanting a flexible all-in-one workspace Try Notion →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free Mailchimp alternative?+
HubSpot Email Marketing — free for up to 2,000 sends/mo with CRM, forms, and landing pages included.
Is ActiveCampaign better than Mailchimp?+
Yes for automation. ActiveCampaign has far more powerful workflows, lead scoring, and CRM integration.