Mailchimp was the default email marketing tool for a long time. It still works well for simple use cases, but the pricing has become less competitive and the automation is limited compared to newer tools. These are the best alternatives: each better than Mailchimp in at least one important way.
Why switch from Mailchimp
The most common reasons people leave Mailchimp: the price gets high as the list grows (Mailchimp's contact-based pricing compounds quickly), the automation is limited outside of higher tiers, and the free plan is now significantly less generous than it used to be. The alternatives below are better on at least one of those dimensions.
MailerLite is the closest thing to a direct Mailchimp replacement that is objectively better. The free plan covers 1,000 subscribers (twice Mailchimp's 500), automation is included, and the interface is cleaner. Pricing is lower at every tier.
- Free plan up to 1,000 subscribers with automation
- Lower prices at every contact tier
- Cleaner, more modern interface
- Good deliverability and template library
Brevo's send-based pricing is transformative for businesses that have grown large lists. Instead of paying per contact, you pay per send: so a list of 50,000 contacts you email twice a month is much cheaper on Brevo than on Mailchimp.
- Pay by sends, not contacts
- Unlimited contacts on free plan
- SMS included
- Better automation than Mailchimp at lower tiers
If the reason you are leaving Mailchimp is that its automation is too limited, ActiveCampaign is the right move. It is more expensive than Mailchimp but the automation is in a different league: complex branching, CRM, lead scoring, and conditional content.
- Far more advanced automation
- Built-in CRM
- 14-day free trial
- Worth the extra cost if automation is why you are switching
Moosend is cheaper than Mailchimp at most list sizes and offers more automation capability. If you want to pay less and get more, Moosend is worth a serious look. The 30-day free trial lets you evaluate it fully before committing.
- Cheaper than Mailchimp at most tiers
- Better automation
- 30-day free trial
- Clean interface, easy to migrate to
GetResponse adds webinars, conversion funnels, and paid ads integration to the email marketing package. If you want more than email and are frustrated by Mailchimp add-on costs, GetResponse packs more into one subscription.
- Webinars and conversion funnels included
- More advanced automation than Mailchimp
- Free plan available
- Good for businesses that want a broader platform
How to migrate from Mailchimp
Migrating from Mailchimp is straightforward with any of these tools. Export your subscriber list as a CSV from Mailchimp, then import it into your new platform. Most tools have dedicated Mailchimp migration guides: check the guides section on this site for step-by-step instructions for each platform.