Kit is the most popular destination for creators leaving Mailchimp. Where Mailchimp is a general-purpose email tool, Kit is built specifically for bloggers, newsletter writers, podcasters, and course creators. The tag-based subscriber model, visual automations, and built-in commerce tools are all designed around the creator workflow.
This guide covers everything you need to migrate from Mailchimp to Kit without losing subscribers or breaking your automations. Estimated time: 2-4 hours.
What transfers and what does not
| Item | Transfers? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts and email addresses | Yes | Via CSV export/import |
| Tags and groups | Partial | Export as custom fields, remap as Kit tags on import |
| Custom field data | Partial | Transfers if mapped correctly during import |
| Unsubscribe history | Yes | Import as suppressed contacts to stay compliant |
| Email templates | No | Need to be rebuilt in Kit |
| Automation workflows | No | Need to be rebuilt from scratch |
| Campaign history | No | Historical stats stay in Mailchimp |
Keep your Mailchimp account active throughout the migration. Do not cancel it until Kit is fully set up and tested. Cancelling early means losing access to your historical data and any active automations still running.
Step-by-step migration guide
Sign up at kit.com. Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers, so most creators can complete the migration and test everything before paying anything. Keep Mailchimp running until you are ready to switch over completely.
Add your domain to Kit and complete the DKIM authentication steps. This verifies your sending identity and protects your deliverability. Complete this before importing any contacts or sending any emails from Kit.
In Mailchimp, go to Audience, select your list, and export as a CSV. Include all merge fields (custom data), tags, and groups. Export your unsubscribed and cleaned contacts separately: you will need to suppress these in Kit to stay compliant with email regulations.
In Kit, go to Subscribers and import your CSV. Map each column to the correct Kit field. Kit uses tags rather than lists, so use this step to apply tags that reflect your Mailchimp groups and segments. Import your unsubscribed contacts as suppressed. Review the import report before proceeding.
Document all your active Mailchimp automations before rebuilding them in Kit's Visual Automations editor. Start with your most important sequences: typically your welcome series and any active nurture flows. Kit's automation builder supports unlimited steps, branches, and conditions. Test each automation with your own email address before activating it.
Build your signup forms in Kit and replace the Mailchimp embed codes on your website. Kit also offers landing pages if you want to consolidate your lead capture. Test each form to confirm new subscribers are tagged correctly and trigger the right automation.
Send a test broadcast to yourself. Trigger your automations manually. Check every link, confirm unsubscribe flows work, and verify that new signups land in the right segments. Only move on once you are satisfied that Kit is working exactly as expected.
Once Kit is fully operational, cancel your Mailchimp account. Note your billing date to avoid being charged for another month. Download any historical reports or data you want to keep before cancelling, as access ends immediately on cancellation.
The bottom line
Migrating from Mailchimp to Kit is straightforward for most creators. The main rebuild work is automations and forms: subscribers and tags transfer cleanly. Kit's free plan is generous enough that you can complete the full migration and run both tools in parallel before committing.
Not sure Kit is the right destination? Take the Marketing Automation Buyer's Guide quiz for a personalized recommendation, or compare Kit and Mailchimp side by side.