Quick verdict
Short answer: If Mailchimp’s contact-based bill is the problem, start with Brevo (priced by emails sent, free at 300 emails a day), MailerLite (simple and cheaper for small lists), or Klaviyo if you sell online. Most small lists can cut their bill meaningfully by switching.
Quick picks: the 8 best Mailchimp alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Starting price | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo | Free; paid from $9/mo | Yes, 300 emails/day | Send-based pricing, email + SMS |
| MailerLite | Paid from around $10-12/mo | Yes | Simple, good-value email for small lists |
| Kit (formerly ConvertKit) | Paid Creator plans from around $39/mo for 1,000 subscribers | Yes, limited automations | Creators selling digital products |
| Klaviyo | Free; paid from $20/mo for 500 profiles | Yes | E-commerce segmentation and revenue tracking |
| Omnisend | Free; paid from $16/mo for 500 contacts | Yes | Email + SMS + push for online stores |
| Moosend | Low-cost paid plans; 30-day trial | No free plan | Budget automation for small businesses |
| Constant Contact | From around $12/mo | Trial only | Nonprofits, events, and local businesses |
| GetResponse | Paid from around $19/mo for 1,000 contacts | Yes, limited | Email plus built-in webinars and funnels |
Why do people look for Mailchimp alternatives?
Mailchimp prices by contacts stored, not emails sent — and subscribed, unsubscribed, and non-subscribed contacts all count unless you archive them manually. The free plan shrank to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, Essentials starts at $13 for 500 contacts, Standard at $20, and Premium jumps to $350. A growing list therefore raises your bill automatically, even in months you barely send anything.
The 8 best Mailchimp alternatives in 2026
1. Brevo — best send-based pricing
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) flips Mailchimp’s model: the free plan allows 300 emails a day, and paid plans from $9 a month are priced mainly by sending volume, with email, SMS, and WhatsApp in one account. That suits senders with large lists who mail occasionally. Its editor and template choice are less polished than Mailchimp’s, but the pricing fairness is the whole point.
2. MailerLite — best simple value
MailerLite covers campaigns, automations, landing pages, and forms in a clean editor, with a free plan and paid plans from around $10-12 a month. It consistently undercuts Mailchimp at the same list size while keeping the features small businesses actually use. Advanced e-commerce reporting is thinner than Klaviyo’s, but for newsletters and simple funnels it is hard to beat on value.
3. Kit — best for creators who sell
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is built for creators: tagging, visual automations, paid newsletters, and selling digital products from the same platform. Its free plan allows a large subscriber list but limits automations, and paid Creator plans run from around $39 a month for 1,000 subscribers in recent comparisons. It costs more than MailerLite, so it earns its price only if you actually sell to your list.
4. Klaviyo — best for e-commerce
Klaviyo’s free plan covers 250 profiles, with paid plans from $20 a month for 500 profiles. Its strength is data: deep store integrations, segmentation by buying behaviour, and reporting tied to revenue rather than opens. For a store doing real volume, that insight can pay for itself. For a simple newsletter, it is more platform — and eventually more money — than you need.
5. Omnisend — best email + SMS for stores
Omnisend combines email, SMS, and push notifications with pre-built e-commerce workflows like cart recovery. It has a free plan, and paid plans start at $16 a month for 500 contacts. Stores that want multi-channel campaigns without stitching tools together get a lot here. Pure content newsletters will not use most of what makes it special.
6. Moosend — best budget automation
Moosend offers a drag-and-drop editor, landing pages, and solid automation at low prices, with a 30-day trial instead of a free plan. Small businesses that outgrew a free tier but balk at Mailchimp’s contact math often land here. Its brand recognition and integration library are smaller, so check your key integrations exist before migrating.
7. Constant Contact — best for nonprofits and events
Constant Contact, from around $12 a month, pairs email with event management tools and beginner-friendly support, which suits nonprofits, clubs, and local businesses. It is not the cheapest or the most automated option on this list. What it sells is hand-holding: templates, guidance, and phone support that larger platforms reserve for top tiers.
8. GetResponse — best all-in-one with webinars
GetResponse adds webinar hosting, funnels, and a website builder on top of email marketing, with a limited free plan and paid plans from around $19 a month for 1,000 contacts in recent comparisons. If you run webinars as your main lead channel, consolidating tools can save real money. If you only send a monthly newsletter, you are paying for rooms you will never enter.
Verdict: which Mailchimp alternative should you pick?
Pick Brevo if contact-based billing is what stings, MailerLite if you want the simplest cheaper like-for-like switch, and Klaviyo or Omnisend if you run a store. Stay on Mailchimp if your list is around 500 contacts and you rely on its templates and integrations — at that size it is still reasonably priced, and migration always costs time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Mailchimp alternative?
Brevo’s free plan (300 emails a day) and low paid tiers make it the cheapest credible switch for most senders; MailerLite is the cheapest simple like-for-like replacement.
Does Mailchimp charge for unsubscribed contacts?
Yes. Subscribed, unsubscribed, and non-subscribed contacts count toward your bill unless you archive them manually — a common reason senders look for alternatives.
Can I move my list out of Mailchimp?
Yes. Export contacts as a CSV and import them into the new platform. Rebuild your signup forms and automations there, and warm up sending gradually to protect deliverability.
Is there a free alternative with more than 250 contacts?
Yes. Brevo’s free plan is limited by daily sends rather than a small contact cap, and MailerLite’s free plan covers small lists with automations included.
Research-based roundup. Prices checked October 2026 against vendor and comparison sources and may change. No hands-on testing claims are made.