EmailOctopus vs Mailchimp: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for EmailOctopus and Mailchimp side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, EmailOctopus leads on higher user rating. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
EmailOctopus
Email marketing made easy with intuitive tools and competitive pricing.
Best for you if:
- • You want very competitive pricing compared to alternatives
Mailchimp
Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing
Best for you if:
- • You want intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users
| At a Glance | EmailOctopus | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $9/mo, billed yearly PRO plan | Free plan, paid from $13/mo, billed monthly Essentials plan |
Category | Marketing Automation Email Marketing | Marketing Automation Email Marketing |
Rating | 4.6/5 Capterra 4.8 · G2 4.2 701 reviews | 3.9/5 Capterra 4.5 · G2 4.3 · Trustpilot 2.6 31,997 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | ALL contacts count: subscribed, unsubscribed, non-subscribed, and 'cleaned' contacts all count toward your plan limit. You pay for contacts who unsubscribed last year unless you manually archive them. This inflates costs by 20-40% for most lists |
Choose EmailOctopus or Mailchimp?
Choose EmailOctopus if
- You want very competitive pricing compared to alternatives
- You want easy to use and intuitive interface
Choose Mailchimp if
- You want intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users
- You want comprehensive free plan to get started with basic email marketing
In-Depth Analysis
EmailOctopus
Email marketing made easy with intuitive tools and competitive pricing.
EmailOctopus offers a very generous free tier for up to 2,500 subscribers, which is excellent for startups and small businesses.
Strengths
- Pro: Very competitive pricing compared to alternatives
- Pro: Easy to use and intuitive interface
- Pro: Excellent and responsive customer support, even for free users
- Pro: Good email deliverability
- Pro: Generous free plan available
Weaknesses
- Con: Focuses solely on email marketing, no SMS or other marketing channels
- Con: EmailOctopus branding on emails for the free plan
Key features
Mailchimp
Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing
Mailchimp was once the default email marketing tool for small businesses, and its free tier was legendary.
Watch out
ALL contacts count: subscribed, unsubscribed, non-subscribed, and 'cleaned' contacts all count toward your plan limit. You pay for contacts who unsubscribed last year unless you manually archive them. This inflates costs by 20-40% for most lists
Strengths
- Pro: Intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users
- Pro: Comprehensive free plan to get started with basic email marketing
- Pro: Powerful automation workflows rivaling dedicated automation platforms
- Pro: Extensive template library with mobile-responsive designs
- Pro: Strong deliverability rates backed by Intuit infrastructure
Weaknesses
- Con: Free plan capped at just 250 contacts and 500 sends per month
- Con: Pricing scales steeply as contact lists grow beyond initial tiers
- Con: Advanced segmentation and multivariate testing require higher tiers
- Con: Phone support only available on the highest tier
- Con: Removing Mailchimp branding requires a paid plan
Key features
Plans and prices: EmailOctopus vs Mailchimp
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| EmailOctopus |
| emailoctopus.com/pricing read Oct 31, 2026 |
| Mailchimp |
| mailchimp.com/pricing read Oct 26, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on EmailOctopus pricing and Mailchimp pricing.
Key Takeaways
EmailOctopus
- Higher user rating: 4.6/5 vs 3.9/5
Mailchimp
- Choose if you want grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing
What the data shows
On the data below, EmailOctopus leads on higher user rating. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- EmailOctopus has the higher user rating (4.6/5 from 701 reviews for EmailOctopus, 3.9/5 from 31,997 reviews for Mailchimp).
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: EmailOctopus $9/mo, billed yearly; Mailchimp $13/mo, billed monthly.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do EmailOctopus and Mailchimp compare in 2026?
On the data below, EmailOctopus leads on higher user rating. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. EmailOctopus has the higher user rating (4.6/5 from 701 reviews for EmailOctopus, 3.9/5 from 31,997 reviews for Mailchimp). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: EmailOctopus $9/mo, billed yearly; Mailchimp $13/mo, billed monthly. Both have a free plan.
What are EmailOctopus and Mailchimp used for?
EmailOctopus: Email marketing made easy with intuitive tools and competitive pricing. Mailchimp: Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing.
What does EmailOctopus cost vs Mailchimp?
EmailOctopus's cheapest paid plan is PRO at $9/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. Mailchimp's cheapest paid plan is Essentials at $13/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 31, 2026.
What's the main difference between EmailOctopus and Mailchimp?
EmailOctopus's main strength: very competitive pricing compared to alternatives. Mailchimp's main strength: intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users.