Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign.
Different strengths. Different costs. Here’s what to weigh before you choose.
Compare the plans as well as the brands. These prices may have different billing commitments and capacity limits; they are not equivalent quotes.
| What matters | Mailchimp | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Email campaign platform for small businesses, with templates and audience management on its limited free tier and automation on paid plans. | Marketing platform for businesses needing email campaigns, automated customer journeys, segmentation and CRM connections. |
| Listed plan | Free Marketing | Starter |
| Base price | $0 / mo | Contact vendor |
| Pricing conditions | Up to 250 contacts, 500 sends per month and 250 sends per day. One user. Sending pauses when contact or sending limits are exceeded. Automation is not included in this modeled plan. | Official price calculator did not expose a USD price in retrieved content. Contact count and optional CRM add-ons affect cost. |
| Documented capabilities | email, automation, crm, analytics | |
| Free plan | Yes, with limits | Not verified |
| Trial | 14 days for Standard or Essentials, subject to offer terms | 14 days, no credit card required |
| Integrations | Not yet verified | Shopify, Salesforce, Zapier, Make, WordPress, Stripe |
| Benefits (editorial) | A free tier supports an initial mailing list. Documented plan tiers make the upgrade boundary visible. | Combines email automation with CRM capabilities. Official integrations include Shopify, Salesforce, Zapier and Make. |
| Limitations | The free plan's daily and monthly send limits restrict frequent campaigns. Automation requires upgrading and is excluded from this record's Fit Score attributes. | Starter allows only five actions per automation. Enhanced CRM functions are sold as add-ons. |
| Typical fit (editorial) | Local business, Professional services, Creator & newsletter, E-commerce | Marketing agency, E-commerce, Creator & newsletter, Professional services |
| AI, support & ease of use | Confirm plan-specific AI limits and support. Ease of use has not been independently tested. | Confirm plan-specific AI limits and support. Ease of use has not been independently tested. |
| Evidence | Sources checked 2026-10-09 → | Sources checked 2026-10-07 → |
| Your next step | Visit MailchimpStandard provider link; no commission currently earned. | Visit ActiveCampaignStandard provider link; no commission currently earned. |
Use-case recommendations
Consider Mailchimp when…
A free tier supports an initial mailing list.
Check first: The free plan's daily and monthly send limits restrict frequent campaigns.
Consider ActiveCampaign when…
Combines email automation with CRM capabilities.
Check first: Starter allows only five actions per automation.
Make the decision on your terms
Test your real workflow, calculate the full team and usage cost, and confirm export options before migrating. A higher advertised feature count does not necessarily create a better fit.
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