Mailchimp vs Constant Contact (2026): features, security and which one to buy
Mailchimp and Constant Contact compared on what they do, who they suit, their key features, pros and cons, and what each vendor publishes on security, admin and contract terms, with every fact checked on October 24, 2026.
Mailchimp or Constant Contact: the short answer
Choose Mailchimp if
- Small lists that start free and grow into paid tiers.
Choose Constant Contact if
- Small businesses that want a single vendor for email, SMS and basic campaigns (vendor positioning, not confirmed by the vendor here)
What are Mailchimp and Constant Contact?
Mailchimp
Intuit-owned email marketing platform with a 250-contact free tier and contact-based paid plans. Owned by Intuit, it works for small lists that begin free at 250 contacts and move up as the audience grows. Paid plans start at $13 monthly on Essentials. Before choosing, compare automation depth by tier, since Free has none and flows stretch to 200 points higher up.
Constant Contact
Email and campaign tool for small businesses; most plan data is not confirmed by the vendor. Owner-run businesses that prefer one supplier for email, SMS and basic campaigns could shortlist it. Email Lite costs $12 monthly for 500 contacts, with Standard at $35 and Premium at $80. Costs climb as the contact list grows, so price your planned list size.
Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: features compared
| Mailchimp | Constant Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Intuit-owned email marketing platform with a 250-contact free tier and contact-based paid plans. | Email and campaign tool for small businesses; most plan data is not confirmed by the vendor. |
| Best for | Small lists that start free and grow into paid tiers. | Small businesses that want a single vendor for email, SMS and basic campaigns (vendor positioning, not confirmed by the vendor here) |
| Company size | Small business (vendor positioning, not confirmed by the vendor) | |
| Automation workflows | Free: none; Essentials: up to 4 steps per flow; Standard and Premium: up to 200 flow points. | Not published |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan, Free trial | No |
| Starting price | Free; paid from $13/month (Essentials) | $12/month (Email Lite, 500 contacts, monthly billing); Standard $35, Premium $80; price rises with contact count |
| G2 rating | 4.3 (12,866 reviews) | 4.1 (7,413 reviews) |
Mailchimp vs Constant Contact pricing
Mailchimp starts at Free; paid from $13/month (Essentials) and Constant Contact at $12/month (Email Lite, 500 contacts, monthly billing); Standard $35, Premium $80; price rises with contact count. The pricing bases differ, so compare the full quote for your team rather than the entry price.
| Mailchimp | Constant Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | per contact tier | per contact (tiered) |
| Billing | Monthly; discounted 12-month rate shown. | Not published |
| Add-ons | SMS add-on; Pay-as-you-go option for infrequent senders. | Not published |
Security, admin and contract: Mailchimp vs Constant Contact
What each vendor states publicly about single sign-on, provisioning, audit logs, data location and the contract. A blank is a question for the sales call, not a no.
| Mailchimp | Constant Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| SAML SSO | Premium only (Enterprise SSO) | Not published |
| Contract | Monthly plans; 12-month discounted rate; pay-as-you-go option. | Not published |
Differences most comparisons miss
Worth knowing about Mailchimp
- Enterprise SSO only on Premium.
- Premium includes four onboarding sessions and a dedicated specialist; Standard one session.
- Free plan has no role-based access and no automation.
- Annual billing on Standard and Premium over 10,000 contacts requires contacting sales.
Worth knowing about Constant Contact
- Plan prices and limits are unconfirmed, so check the live pricing page before comparing.
Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: frequently asked questions
Which is better, Mailchimp or Constant Contact?
It depends on the team. Mailchimp is the stronger pick for small lists that start free and grow into paid tiers, while Constant Contact suits small businesses that want a single vendor for email, SMS and basic campaigns (vendor positioning, not confirmed by the vendor here). Compare the feature rows above against your must-haves before you look at price.
Do Mailchimp and Constant Contact support SAML single sign-on?
Mailchimp: premium only (Enterprise SSO). Constant Contact: not stated on its public pages. Confirm the plan in writing before you compare prices.
Can I try Mailchimp and Constant Contact for free?
Mailchimp: free plan, free trial. Constant Contact: no free plan or trial is published.
Sources
Both columns use the same sources: vendor pricing and product pages, documentation, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Full source lists are on the Mailchimp and Constant Contact reviews.