Mailchimp and HubSpot serve genuinely different needs. Mailchimp is an email marketing tool. HubSpot is a full CRM platform that happens to include email marketing. Comparing them is a bit like comparing a hammer to a toolbox: the hammer does one thing very well, but sometimes you need the toolbox.
| Feature | Mailchimp | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $13/mo | $20/mo |
| Free plan | ✓ 500 contacts | ✓ CRM free, email limited |
| CRM built-in | ✗ No | ✓ Full CRM |
| Automation depth | Basic | Advanced |
| Landing pages | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Sales pipeline | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Best for | Email-focused SMBs | CRM-driven businesses |
Pricing
Mailchimp is significantly cheaper. Its free plan works well for small lists. HubSpot's free CRM is generous but the Marketing Hub, which includes serious email marketing, starts at $20/mo per seat and scales steeply. Full HubSpot is expensive: it is built for businesses with budget to match.
CRM and contact management
HubSpot's CRM is one of the best in the market. Contact records, deal pipelines, activity tracking, and sales automation are all built in. Mailchimp has basic contact management but it is not a CRM. If contact and deal management matters to you, HubSpot is in a different league.
Email marketing features
For pure email marketing, Mailchimp is more accessible and easier to use. HubSpot's email tools are excellent but require more setup and configuration. At the entry level, you get more email-specific value from Mailchimp at a lower cost.
Who it is for
Mailchimp is for small businesses and marketers focused on email campaigns. HubSpot is for growing businesses that need CRM, sales, marketing, and service tools integrated together. Most Mailchimp users do not need HubSpot. Most HubSpot users need more than Mailchimp can offer.
Consider Mailchimp if...
- Email marketing is your primary focus and you do not need a CRM
- You are price-sensitive and want to keep costs low
- You want a simpler tool that is easy to learn quickly
- You already have a CRM and just need email marketing on top
Choose HubSpot if...
- You need CRM, email, and sales tools working together in one platform
- Your sales team needs contact and deal management alongside marketing
- You are willing to pay for a more integrated, scalable system
- You want detailed contact tracking across marketing and sales touchpoints
The bottom line
These tools are not really competing. HubSpot is a full go-to-market platform; Mailchimp is an email tool. If you need a CRM with email built in, HubSpot is worth the higher cost. If you just need email, Mailchimp does the job but is not the best value at its price point.
Not sure which tool is right for you? Take the Marketing Automation Buyer's Guide quiz. It asks six questions and recommends the right platform based on your needs and budget.