Mailchimp vs ConvertKit (2026)
The two most popular email tools for beginners — compared head to head
Our verdict
—ConvertKit wins for creators
Mailchimp
ConvertKit
Free contacts
250
1,000
Affiliate marketing
✗ No
✓ Yes
Templates
100+
15
Best for
E-commerce
Creators
Quick Verdict
Best free plan
Best for e-commerce
Best for creators
Best for affiliate marketers
Best email templates
Best automation value
Pricing
Mailchimp
Free: 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo, no automation
Essentials: From $13/mo — basic automation, email support
Standard: From $20/mo — full automation, AI tools
Premium: From $350/mo — phone support, advanced features
ConvertKit
Newsletter (free): 1,000 subscribers, unlimited sends, digital product sales
Creator: $33/mo — visual automation, 70+ integrations
Creator Pro: $66/mo — SparkLoop, advanced reporting, A/B testing
Verdict: Mailchimp’s entry paid plan is cheaper ($13/mo vs $33/mo), but ConvertKit’s free tier is four times more useful. At 5,000 subscribers, Mailchimp Standard runs around $100/mo while ConvertKit Creator is around $75/mo — ConvertKit becomes the better value at scale.
Ease of Use
Mailchimp
One of the most beginner-friendly interfaces in email marketing. The drag-and-drop editor is genuinely excellent — visually intuitive, well-documented, and widely recognised. Setup takes minutes and the learning curve is minimal even for non-technical users.
ConvertKit
Clean and straightforward, but takes slightly longer to get comfortable with — especially the tag-based subscriber model, which is different from how most tools work. The text-first email philosophy may feel limited for users expecting rich design tools.
Winner: Mailchimp. The edge in ease of use is genuine — its interface is more immediately accessible, especially for users with no prior email marketing experience.
Email Automations
Mailchimp
Automation was removed from the free tier entirely by mid-2025. On paid plans, the classic automation builder was replaced with Marketing Automation Flows — an AI-powered system that pre-fills email content. Functional for standard sequences but less flexible than ConvertKit for creator-style journeys.
ConvertKit
Also removes automation from the free tier — but the visual drag-and-drop builder on the Creator plan ($33/mo) is one of the best in this price range. Trigger sequences by tags, form submissions, purchases, or link clicks. Conditional branches and multi-step journeys are genuinely beginner-friendly.
Winner: ConvertKit. Both tools remove automation from free plans, but ConvertKit’s visual builder is more intuitive for creators who need subscriber-journey logic rather than broadcast-style flows.
Support
Mailchimp
Free plan support is limited to 30 days only. Email and chat support are available on paid plans from Essentials upwards. Phone support is locked to Premium — which starts at $350/mo. The knowledge base is large and well-maintained but live support is harder to access than competitors at similar prices.
ConvertKit
Email support is available on all plans including free. Live chat is included on Creator and Creator Pro. Support quality has mixed reviews — response times are generally good but resolution depth varies. The help documentation is solid and the creator community is active.
Winner: ConvertKit. Email support on the free plan is meaningfully better than Mailchimp’s 30-day limit, especially for new users who need help getting set up.
Integrations
Mailchimp
300+ native integrations including Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Canva, Salesforce, and Zapier. If your business runs on multiple tools, Mailchimp almost certainly connects with them natively. Particularly strong for e-commerce stacks.
ConvertKit
70+ integrations on paid plans including Shopify, Teachable, Kajabi, WordPress, and Zapier. Note that third-party integrations are not available on the free Newsletter plan — you need the Creator plan ($33/mo) to unlock them. Covers the essentials for most creator stacks.
Winner: Mailchimp. The gap here is significant — 300+ vs 70+ integrations, with Mailchimp available across far more third-party platforms natively. If your business relies on a complex tech stack, Mailchimp is the safer choice.
Full Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan contacts | 250 contacts | Winner1,000 subscribers |
| Free sends/month | 500 | WinnerUnlimited |
| Automation on free | Tie✗ None | ✗ None |
| Entry paid price | WinnerEssentials from $13/mo | Creator from $33/mo |
| Email templates | Winner100+ polished templates | 15 templates (text-first) |
| Automation builder | AI flows — paid plans only | WinnerVisual drag-and-drop (Creator+) |
| Landing pages | Tie✓ All plans | ✓ All plans |
| Commerce / selling | ✗ Not included | Winner✓ All plans including free |
| Affiliate marketing | ✗ Explicitly prohibited | Winner✓ Fully allowed |
| A/B testing | WinnerStandard plan+ | Creator Pro only |
| Integrations | Winner300+ apps | 70+ apps |
| Subscriber billing | Charges unsubscribed contacts | WinnerTag-based — no duplicate billing |
| Free plan support | 30 days only | WinnerEmail support |
| Best for | TieE-commerce, teams | Creators, affiliate marketers |
Who Should Choose Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the better fit if you are:
- ✓Running a small e-commerce store on Shopify or WooCommerce — Mailchimp's native integrations are hard to beat
- ✓A non-technical beginner who wants the most intuitive drag-and-drop email editor available
- ✓Part of a team that relies on a wide range of third-party tools and needs broad integration coverage
- ✓Sending primarily design-heavy newsletters where template variety and visual polish matter
- ✓Already on a paid plan with an established subscriber base and no plans to promote affiliate products
For a full breakdown, read our Mailchimp review.
Who Should Choose ConvertKit
ConvertKit is the better fit if you are:
- ✓A blogger, podcaster, YouTuber, or newsletter creator building an audience around content
- ✓An affiliate marketer — ConvertKit explicitly allows affiliate links, Mailchimp does not
- ✓Someone who wants the most generous free plan in email marketing: 1,000 subscribers with unlimited sends
- ✓Selling digital products (ebooks, courses, templates) — ConvertKit's built-in commerce tools are included on all plans
- ✓Building tag-based audience segments without paying for duplicate contacts across lists
For a full breakdown, read our ConvertKit review.
Final Verdict
Mailchimp and ConvertKit are both strong tools — but they serve different audiences. Mailchimp is the better pick for e-commerce businesses, teams with complex integration needs, and users who prioritise design and template variety. Its drag-and-drop editor is genuinely one of the best available, and 300+ integrations give it unmatched reach across third-party tools.
ConvertKit wins for creators, bloggers, newsletter writers, and anyone who wants to promote affiliate products. Its free plan is four times more generous than Mailchimp’s, the visual automation builder is more intuitive for subscriber journeys, and the tag-based system eliminates the duplicate contact billing that inflates Mailchimp costs over time.
For most Marketing Starter Hub readers starting out in content or affiliate marketing, ConvertKit is the smarter starting point. Start on the free plan, upgrade to Creator when you need automations. If you already run a Shopify store or need broad integration coverage, Mailchimp earns its place.
Mailchimp
Best for e-commerce teams, broad integrations, and design-heavy email campaigns.
View Mailchimp Plans →No affiliate link
ConvertKit
Best for creators, affiliate marketers, and anyone wanting the most generous free plan.
Try ConvertKit Free →No affiliate link
Comparing more email tools? Browse all our email marketing reviews or see all our marketing tool reviews.