Mailchimp vs Brevo: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
We may earn a commission when you click some links on this page. It never changes which tools we include or how we rank them. See how we make money.
Short answer
In our email marketing ranking, Mailchimp scores 79/100 and Brevo scores 83/100. Brevo costs less on its entry and Standard plans at the list sizes we priced and includes unlimited automation workflows from $18 a month, while Mailchimp has the more polished editor, 300+ integrations and more seats on its entry plans.
Pick Mailchimp if…
- You want the most familiar editor and 300+ integrations
- You value polished, easy-to-read reports over the lowest price
- Several people need access on a mid-priced plan (3 seats on Essentials, 5 on Standard)
Pick Brevo if…
- You want the lower bill at the same list size ($9 vs $13 a month at 500 contacts)
- You need multi-step automations and A/B testing for under $20 a month
- You also send transactional email or SMS and want one platform
What it costs
Monthly billing, 12 months, at the list sizes shown, from each vendor's list prices. Taxes, SMS credits and add-ons excluded.
| Need | Mailchimp plan | Mailchimp per year | Brevo plan | Brevo per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newsletters to 500 contacts | Essentials ($13) | $156 | Starter, 5,000 sends ($9) | $108 |
| Newsletters to 1,500 contacts | Essentials ($26.50) | $318 | Starter, 10,000 sends ($17) | $204 |
| Plus A/B testing and multi-step automation, 500 contacts | Standard ($20) | $240 | Standard ($18) | $216 |
| Plus phone support | Premium, 10,000 contacts ($350) | $4,200 | Professional, 150,000 sends ($499) | $5,988 |
Mailchimp shows its Essentials and Standard prices for the first 12 months; confirm the rate after that at checkout. Brevo takes 10% off yearly billing. Each Brevo tier sets both monthly sends and how many contacts you can store (10,000 sends covers 1,500 contacts on Starter). Prices from Mailchimp and Brevo pricing pages, checked Oct 27, 2026. Vendors change plans often; confirm before you buy.
Plans and features side by side
| Feature | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 250 contacts, 500 sends a month, 1 seat | 300 emails a day, up to 100,000 stored contacts |
| How price is set | By contacts; sends capped at 10x (Essentials), 12x (Standard) or 15x (Premium) contacts | By monthly email volume; each tier also caps stored contacts |
| Entry paid plan | Essentials, $13/mo up to 500 contacts | Starter, $9/mo for 5,000 sends |
| Automation | Up to 4 flow steps on Essentials; up to 200 flows on Standard | Up to 2,000 contacts on Free and Starter; unlimited workflows and contacts on Standard |
| A/B testing | Listed from Standard | Listed from Standard |
| Seats | 3 on Essentials, 5 on Standard, unlimited on Premium | 1 on Starter, 3 on Standard ($12 per extra seat), 10 on Professional |
| Phone support | Premium, from $350/mo | Professional, from $499/mo |
| Free trial | 14 days on Essentials and Standard | Free plan, no time limit |
| G2 user rating | 4.3/5 (12,995 reviews) | 4.5/5 (2,743 reviews) |
| Vettlo score | 79/100 | 83/100 |
"Listed from" means the feature first appears on that plan on the vendor's public pricing page.
Where Mailchimp is stronger
- Editor and reporting. Its drag-and-drop builder and reports are polished and quick to learn, which is why it rates 4.5/5 on ease of use in our ranking.
- Integrations. More than 300 integrations connect it to most stores, CRMs and form tools.
- Seats on entry plans. Essentials includes 3 seats and Standard 5, against 1 on Brevo Starter and 3 on Brevo Standard.
Where Brevo is stronger
- Price at the same list size. At 1,500 contacts, Starter is $17 a month against $26.50 for Mailchimp Essentials, about $114 less a year.
- Automation for less. Standard ($18 a month at the first tier) includes unlimited multi-step workflows and A/B testing; Mailchimp Essentials caps flows at 4 steps.
- More than email. SMS and transactional email sit in the same platform, and the free plan keeps up to 100,000 contacts.
How to decide
- Count your contacts and how many emails you send each month; Brevo prices on sends, Mailchimp on contacts.
- Find the cheapest plan on each side that has the automation and seats you need, and compare that price.
- Check Mailchimp's rate after the first 12 months at your contact tier.
- Send one real campaign and one automation from each free plan or trial before you migrate your list.
Mailchimp vs Brevo FAQ
Is Brevo cheaper than Mailchimp?
Yes, at the list sizes we priced. At 500 contacts Brevo Starter is $9 a month against $13 for Mailchimp Essentials; at 1,500 contacts it is $17 against $26.50, on monthly billing.
Which has the better free plan?
Brevo's: it sends up to 300 emails a day and stores up to 100,000 contacts. Mailchimp's free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with no automation flows.
Which is better for automation?
Brevo for the money. Its Standard plan includes unlimited multi-step workflows from $18 a month. Mailchimp Essentials limits flows to 4 steps; Standard ($20 at 500 contacts) allows up to 200 flows.
Which is easier to use?
Mailchimp, slightly. It rates 4.5/5 on ease of use in our ranking against 4/5 for Brevo, and connects to 300+ other tools.
Other options
If neither fits, see our full ranking of 6 email marketing tools, with who each one is for and what it costs. Or see our guide to the Mailchimp alternatives.