Mailchimp vs MailerLite: Which Is Better in 2026?
Mailchimp is the email tool most small businesses try first. MailerLite is a simple, inexpensive email tool with a clean editor. Mailchimp’s strength is getting a small business sending good-looking email quickly; MailerLite’s is covering the essentials well for very little money.
01Pricing
Mailchimp: paid plans start at $13/mo for 500 contacts. MailerLite: paid plans start at $10.80/mo for 500 subscribers. Both price by the size of your list or sending volume, so the entry prices above only hold for a small audience; check each vendor’s calculator at your list size. Mailchimp has a free plan (250 contacts and 500 sends a month). MailerLite has a free plan (up to 250 subscribers).
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Limits | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 250 contacts; 500 email sends per month (250 per day); 1 user seat; 1 audience | |
| Essentials | n/a | $13 | 500 contacts at this price; Monthly sends 10x contacts; 3 user seats; 3 audiences | Email scheduling; A/B testing; 24/7 email & chat support; Automation flows up to 4 steps |
| Standard | n/a | $20 | 500 contacts at this price; Monthly sends 12x contacts; 5 user seats; 5 audiences | Custom-coded templates; Dynamic content; Up to 200 automation flows; 4 roles |
| Premium | n/a | $350 | Starts at 10,000 contacts; Monthly sends 15x contacts; Unlimited user seats; Unlimited audiences | Phone & priority support; Dedicated onboarding specialist; Predictive segmentation; Multivariate testing |
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Limits | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Up to 250 subscribers; 2,500 emails per month; 2 user seats; 3 automations | |
| Comfort | $10.80 | $12 | 500 subscribers at this price; 5,000 emails per month (10x tier ceiling); 3 user seats; 50 automations | Unlimited templates; AI writing assistant; Smart sending; 5 digital products |
| Power | $22.50 | $25 | 500 subscribers at this price; Unlimited monthly emails (fair use); Unlimited user seats | Unlimited automations; Unlimited landing pages and digital products; Multiple automation triggers; 24/7 live chat support |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | 200K+ subscribers; Custom sending volume | Dedicated success manager; Account audits; Dedicated IP option; Deliverability support |
Prices are per month on annual billing, except Mailchimp (monthly billing; no annual price published). † marks prices taken from the vendor’s documentation or page data instead of its visible pricing page. Mailchimp pricing and MailerLite pricing have the full detail.
02The Two Tools
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the email tool most small businesses try first. It covers campaigns, templates, basic automation, landing pages and forms, and connects to almost everything. It is a generalist: good at getting a newsletter out, less convincing once you need advanced automation, and priced by the size of your audience.
- Best at
- Getting a small business sending good-looking email quickly.
- Falls short
- The price rises with every contact you add, the free plan is small, and automation is shallower than in specialist tools.
MailerLite
MailerLite is a simple, inexpensive email tool with a clean editor. Newsletters, landing pages, forms and straightforward automations are all there, and the free plan is usable. It leaves out the heavier features, which keeps both the interface and the bill small.
- Best at
- Covering the essentials well for very little money.
- Falls short
- Automation, reporting and integrations are lighter than in the bigger platforms.
03Which Fits Your Situation
| If you are | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small Business | Either | Mailchimp: The safe default: it does what a small business usually needs and connects to the tools they already use. MailerLite: Covers the essentials for less money, with an editor that needs no training. |
| Ecommerce | Mailchimp | Adequate for a small store, with store integrations and product blocks. |
| Startups | MailerLite | Cheap, quick to set up and good enough until marketing becomes someone’s full-time job. |
| Creators | Either | Mailchimp: Workable and familiar, but you pay as the audience grows and get few creator-specific tools. MailerLite: A low-cost start for creators who mostly need to send. |
| Agencies | Either | Mailchimp: Most clients already have an account, which makes it hard to avoid. MailerLite: Easy to hand over to small clients with small budgets. |
04Verdict
Choose Mailchimp if you want a familiar general-purpose tool with integrations for everything. Choose MailerLite if you want the essentials done well at a low price.
05FAQ
Is Mailchimp or MailerLite cheaper?
Mailchimp starts at $13/mo and MailerLite at $10.80/mo. Both rise with the size of your list. Prices are per month on annual billing, except Mailchimp (monthly billing; no annual price published).
Do Mailchimp and MailerLite have free plans?
Mailchimp has a free plan (250 contacts and 500 sends a month). MailerLite has a free plan (up to 250 subscribers).
Which is easier to learn, Mailchimp or MailerLite?
MailerLite is quick to set up; Mailchimp is moderately involved to set up. The price rises with every contact you add, the free plan is small, and automation is shallower than in specialist tools.
Which is better for ecommerce, Mailchimp or MailerLite?
Mailchimp. Adequate for a small store, with store integrations and product blocks.