Mailchimp alternatives: what each email platform costs at your list size
Monthly price at common list sizes
| Feature | Mailchimp | MailerLite | Brevo | Kit | Systeme.io |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 subscribers | $13Essentials, up to 500 contacts | $12Comfort, up to 500 contacts | $0Free | $39Creator, up to 1,000 contacts | $0Free, up to 2,000 contacts |
| 1,000 subscribers | $26.50Essentials, up to 1,500 contacts | $19Comfort, up to 1,000 contacts | $0Free | $39Creator, up to 1,000 contacts | $0Free, up to 2,000 contacts |
| 2,500 subscribers | $45Essentials, up to 2,500 contacts | $33Comfort, up to 2,500 contacts | $49Standard, up to 15,000 emails a month | $59Creator, up to 3,000 contacts | $17Startup, up to 5,000 contacts |
| 5,000 subscribers | $75Essentials, up to 5,000 contacts | $49Comfort, up to 5,000 contacts | $69Standard, up to 20,000 emails a month | $89Creator, up to 5,000 contacts | $17Startup, up to 5,000 contacts |
| 10,000 subscribers | $110Essentials, up to 10,000 contacts | $89Comfort, up to 10,000 contacts | $89Standard, up to 40,000 emails a month | $139Creator, up to 10,000 contacts | $47Webinar, up to 10,000 contacts |
| 25,000 subscribers | $270Essentials, up to 25,000 contacts | $179Comfort, up to 25,000 contacts | $139Standard, up to 100,000 emails a month | $199Creator, up to 25,000 contacts | $97Unlimited, unlimited contacts |
Weekly emails (four a month per subscriber), automations needed, month-to-month list prices in US dollars.
What each free plan allows
| Feature | Contacts | Sending | Automations | Branding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 250 | 500 a month, 250 a day | Preview only | Stays on emails |
| MailerLite | 250 | 2,500 a month | 3 automations | Logo stays on emails |
| Brevo | Up to 100,000 stored | 300 emails a day | Up to 2,000 contacts | Stays on emails |
| Kit | Up to 10,000 | Unlimited broadcasts | Not included | Branding stays (Creator removes it) |
| Systeme.io | 2,000 | Unlimited sends | 1 automation rule, 1 campaign | Not confirmed |
Why the price you pay can differ from the price you see
- Mailchimp has no 1,000-contact tier. A list of 1,000 is billed at the 1,500 tier, and it counts unsubscribed contacts unless you archive them. Going over a limit adds an extra contact-block charge that Mailchimp does not publish.
- Brevo charges by emails sent, not subscribers. Its “from” price assumes few sends, and a larger list needs a bigger send tier to hold its contacts. Removing Brevo branding costs $12 more on its Starter plan.
- MailerLite caps Comfort sends. Monthly emails are limited to ten times your tier size; heavier senders need the Power plan, which has no cap.
- Kit bills confirmed subscribers. Unconfirmed and unsubscribed people are not counted, which can make it cheaper than it first looks.
Which one fits?
- Just newsletters, large list: Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers if you do not need automations.
- Email only, paid plan: MailerLite is cheaper than Mailchimp and Kit at every size we modelled. Brevo can undercut it on very large lists, because it charges by emails sent, so check the calculator with your own numbers.
- Low volume, small list: Brevo's free plan can cover you if you send few emails.
- Email plus funnels and courses: Systeme.io bundles them with unlimited sends, but it is a different kind of product, so compare features, not just price. Our Systeme.io vs Mailchimp comparison goes deeper.
What we could not confirm
We left these out rather than guess: Mailchimp's annual prices (it directs buyers to sales), the price of its extra contact blocks, whether its promotional discounts apply to US customers, how Brevo counts unsubscribed contacts, any send cap on Kit, and Systeme.io's automation limits on Startup and Webinar. Annual billing discounts exist at MailerLite (10%), Brevo (10%) and Kit (two months free) but are not in the table.
Want email, funnels and courses in one place?
Systeme.io's free plan covers 2,000 contacts with unlimited email sends, never expires, and does not ask for a card.
We earn a commission if you sign up to Systeme.io through our link, at no extra cost to you. It doesn't change the numbers above. See our affiliate disclosure.
Check the providers yourself
Plans change, so confirm the current price on each provider's own site before you decide. These are plain links: we do not earn a commission if you use them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Mailchimp alternative?
It depends on your list size and whether you need automations. At 2,500 subscribers emailing weekly with a welcome sequence, Systeme.io comes out cheapest at $17 a month (Startup, up to 5,000 contacts), against $45 for Mailchimp. Several providers also have free plans, but they differ a lot in what they allow, so use the calculator with your own numbers.
Is Mailchimp's free plan still available?
Yes. It covers up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a limit of 250 a day. Mailchimp branding stays on your emails, scheduling and A/B testing are not included, and automations are only a preview. If you go over 250 contacts, Mailchimp holds your sending until you upgrade.
Does Mailchimp charge for unsubscribed contacts?
Yes, unless you archive them. Mailchimp's help pages say subscribed, unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts all count toward your total, and archived, cleaned and deleted contacts do not. Your bill also reflects the highest contact count in the month, even if the number falls afterwards.
MailerLite vs Mailchimp: which is cheaper?
On list prices, MailerLite is cheaper at every size we modelled. At 2,500 subscribers its Comfort plan is $33 a month against $45 for Mailchimp Essentials. MailerLite's Comfort plan caps monthly sends at ten times your tier size, and its paid prices drop 10% on annual billing. Price is not the whole story, so compare the features each plan includes.
Is Kit's free plan good enough?
It allows up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts, landing pages and forms, which is generous. What it leaves out is automations and email sequences, which start on the Creator plan. If you only send newsletters it can cost nothing; if you want a welcome sequence you will need Creator.
Why does my price differ from the one on the pricing page?
Pricing pages show a starting price and often a first-year promotion. Real bills depend on how contacts are counted, whether sends are capped, and extras such as branding removal. Mailchimp shows promotional discounts for the first year; the prices here are list prices, and we could not confirm whether those promotions apply to US customers.
How we calculated this
Each platform's list is billed at the smallest tier that covers it, and a tier only counts if its monthly send limit covers what you send. Total sends are your list size times the emails you send each subscriber. We then pick the cheapest plan that fits, using free plans where they qualify. Prices are month-to-month list prices in US dollars, excluding tax. See our full methodology.
Prices last checked: October 2026. Plans and fees change without much notice, so confirm current pricing with each provider before you switch. Our sources: