Mailchimp review (2026): features, pros and cons, and what to check before you buy
Intuit-owned email marketing platform with a 250-contact free tier and contact-based paid plans.
Our take for buyers
Mailchimp is an Intuit-owned email marketing platform that suits small lists that start on the free plan and move up. Shortlist it if you want a low-friction start with onboarding that scales by tier: one session on Standard, and four sessions plus a dedicated specialist on Premium. Skip it if you need SSO below the Premium price point. Pricing is public, so you can compare tiers before a sales call.
G2 lists 4.3 from 12,866 reviews. Support differs sharply by plan: email for the first 30 days on Free, 24/7 email and chat on Essentials and Standard, and phone and priority support on Premium. The free plan has no role-based access and no automation, so team governance starts higher up.
- Best for
- Small lists that start free and grow into paid tiers.
- Starting price
- Free; paid from $13/month (Essentials)
- G2 rating
- 4.3 (12,866 reviews)
What is 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.
Category: Email Marketing Software, Marketing Automation Software
Mailchimp key features
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Automation workflows | Free: none; Essentials: up to 4 steps per flow; Standard and Premium: up to 200 flow points. |
| Pricing model and real cost | Contact-tier pricing. |
| Workflow and journey builder | Standard and Premium: up to 200 flow points. |
| Reporting and attribution | Custom reports on Standard and up. |
Mailchimp plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | month | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month or 250/day, 1 user |
| Essentials | $13 | month | 12-month discounted rate; 3 users |
| Standard | $20 | month | 12-month discounted rate; 5 users; automation up to 200 flow points |
| Premium | $350 | month | 12-month discounted rate; unlimited users; Enterprise SSO; phone support |
Prices shown in the USD view are the 12-month discounted rates; the contact tier each applies to was not labeled. 14-day trial on Standard and Essentials.
Who should shortlist Mailchimp
A strong fit for
- Small lists that start free and grow into paid tiers.
A weak fit for
- Teams that need SSO below the Premium price point.
Mailchimp alternatives
BrevoEmail, SMS and CRM platform (formerly Sendinblue) with Free, Starter, Standard, Professional and Enterprise plans.
KlaviyoEcommerce brands that want email and SMS driven by store data (vendor positioning)
ActiveCampaignSmall and mid-size teams that want automation plus a light CRM.
HubSpot Marketing HubTeams already on HubSpot CRM that want marketing, forms and reporting in one system.
Constant ContactSmall businesses that want a single vendor for email, SMS and basic campaigns (vendor positioning, not confirmed by the vendor here)
Campaign MonitorSmall marketing teams and business owners who run their own email.
Security, admin and compliance
Published: Enterprise SSO is Premium only, and the free plan has no role-based access. Annual billing on Standard and Premium above 10,000 contacts goes through sales. Overage is charged automatically, and Mailchimp may move you to a higher tier. Not published on the pricing page: SCIM, audit logs, data residency and a DPA. Ask about those, and which SSO providers are supported, before committing to Premium.
- SAML SSO
- Premium only (Enterprise SSO)
Contract and buying terms
- Contract
- Monthly plans; 12-month discounted rate; pay-as-you-go option.
- Implementation
- Standard: one onboarding session; Premium: four sessions plus dedicated specialist.
- Support
- Free: email first 30 days; Essentials/Standard: 24/7 email and chat; Premium: phone and priority.
- Starting price
- Free; paid from $13/month (Essentials)
- Pricing model
- Per contact tier.
- Free plan or trial
- Free plan, Free trial.
What to test in a Mailchimp demo or trial
Test automation on the tier you will actually buy: Essentials allows up to 4 steps per flow, Standard and Premium up to 200 flow points, and Free has none. Check custom reporting, which starts on Standard. Import a copy of your real list to see which contact tier you land in, then check what an overage would cost if you cross your limits. Use the 14-day trial on Standard or Essentials, and judge the quality of the onboarding session.
Questions to ask Mailchimp before you sign
These are the points Mailchimp's public pages leave open. Get the answers in writing before procurement signs off.
- Is SCIM provisioning included, or a paid add-on?
- Which plan includes audit logs, and how long are they kept?
- Where is our data stored, and can we choose the region?
- Can we sign your standard DPA without changes?
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Things to know before a demo
- 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.
- Going over contact or send limits triggers automatic extra charges.
Head-to-head comparisons
Mailchimp FAQ
What is Mailchimp used for?
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. It suits small lists that start free and grow into paid tiers.
Does Mailchimp support SSO?
Yes, but only on Premium, as Enterprise SSO. Lower plans do not include it.
What support does Mailchimp offer on each plan?
Free gets email support for the first 30 days. Essentials and Standard get 24/7 email and chat. Premium adds phone and priority support.
Who is Mailchimp best for?
Small lists that start free and grow into paid tiers. Teams that need SSO below the Premium price point are not well served.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Mailchimp's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.