Mailchimp vs Mailerlite: 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 Mailchimp and Mailerlite side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Mailerlite 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:
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
Mailerlite
Simple, affordable email marketing for growing businesses
Best for you if:
- • You want affordable email marketing
| At a Glance | Mailchimp | Mailerlite |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $13/mo, billed monthly Essentials plan | Free plan, paid from $12/mo flat, billed monthly Comfort plan |
Category | Marketing Automation Email Marketing | Marketing Automation Email Marketing |
Rating | 3.9/5 Capterra 4.5 · G2 4.3 · Trustpilot 2.6 31,997 reviews | 4.7/5 Capterra 4.7 · G2 4.6 · SourceForge 4.8 3,514 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | 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 | n/a |
Choose Mailchimp or Mailerlite?
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
Choose Mailerlite if
- You want affordable email marketing
- You want good free tier
In-Depth Analysis
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
Mailerlite
Simple, affordable email marketing for growing businesses
Mailerlite's pricing is very fair and generous, especially with its robust free tier.
Strengths
- Pro: Affordable email marketing
- Pro: Good free tier
- Pro: Easy to use
- Pro: Landing pages included
- Pro: Automation
Weaknesses
- Con: Less powerful automation
- Con: Basic segmentation
- Con: Support response time
- Con: Limited for advanced users
- Con: Some features removed
Key features
Plans and prices: Mailchimp vs Mailerlite
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp |
| mailchimp.com/pricing read Oct 26, 2026 |
| Mailerlite |
| mailerlite.com/pricing read Oct 30, 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 Mailchimp pricing and Mailerlite pricing.
Key Takeaways
Mailchimp
- Choose if you want grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing
Mailerlite
- Higher user rating: 4.7/5 vs 3.9/5
What the data shows
On the data below, Mailerlite leads on higher user rating. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Mailerlite has the higher user rating (3.9/5 from 31,997 reviews for Mailchimp, 4.7/5 from 3,514 reviews for Mailerlite).
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Mailchimp $13/mo, billed monthly; Mailerlite $12/mo flat, 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 Mailchimp and Mailerlite compare in 2026?
On the data below, Mailerlite leads on higher user rating. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Mailerlite has the higher user rating (3.9/5 from 31,997 reviews for Mailchimp, 4.7/5 from 3,514 reviews for Mailerlite). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Mailchimp $13/mo, billed monthly; Mailerlite $12/mo flat, billed monthly. Both have a free plan.
What are Mailchimp and Mailerlite used for?
Mailchimp: Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing. Mailerlite: Simple, affordable email marketing for growing businesses.
What does Mailchimp cost vs Mailerlite?
Mailchimp's cheapest paid plan is Essentials at $13/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Mailerlite's cheapest paid plan is Comfort at $12/mo flat, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 30, 2026.
What's the main difference between Mailchimp and Mailerlite?
Mailchimp's main strength: intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users. Mailerlite's main strength: affordable email marketing.