Mailchimp vs Mailjet: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Mailchimp and Mailjet comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: Mailchimp wins this matchup. Our overall Email Marketing pick is ActiveCampaign. Our free Email Marketing pick is ZeroBounce. Pick Mailjet if you need a free tier to start with.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Mailchimp
Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing
Best for you if:
- • Leading email marketing platform with AI-powered automation, used by millions of businesses worldwide
- • Free plan supports up to 250 contacts and 500 emails/month; paid plans offer various tiers
Mailjet
Email marketing and transactional email
Best for you if:
- • Mailjet is an email delivery platform for transactional and marketing emails
- • It provides email API, campaign builder, and real-time analytics
| At a Glance |  Mailchimp |  Mailjet |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | FreeFree tier available | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Email Marketing | Email Marketing |
Rating | 3.9/5 | 4.1/5 |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Choose Mailchimp or Mailjet?
Choose Mailchimp if
Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users
- Comprehensive free plan to get started with basic email marketing
- Powerful automation workflows rivaling dedicated automation platforms
- Budget matters (Free vs Free)
Choose Mailjet if
Email marketing and transactional email
- Good email delivery
- Fair pricing
- Good API
| Feature | Mailchimp | Mailjet |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★3.9/5 31,952 reviews | ★4.1/5 631 reviews |
| Categories | Email MarketingMarketing Automation | Email MarketingTransactional Email |
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
- +Intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users
- +Comprehensive free plan to get started with basic email marketing
- +Powerful automation workflows rivaling dedicated automation platforms
- +Extensive template library with mobile-responsive designs
- +Strong deliverability rates backed by Intuit infrastructure
Weaknesses
- -Free plan capped at just 250 contacts and 500 sends per month
- -Pricing scales steeply as contact lists grow beyond initial tiers
- -Advanced segmentation and multivariate testing require higher tiers
- -Phone support only available on the highest tier
- -Removing Mailchimp branding requires a paid plan
Key features
Mailjet
Email marketing and transactional email
Mailjet's Free tier is quite generous with 6,000 emails per month, making it a good starting point.
Strengths
- +Good email delivery
- +Fair pricing
- +Good API
- +Email editor
- +EU-based
Weaknesses
- -Support varies
- -UI could improve
- -Limited automation
- -Better alternatives exist
- -Deliverability varies
Key features
Pricing: Mailchimp vs Mailjet
| Plan | Mailchimp | Mailjet |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free Free | Free Free |
| Tier 2 | $13 month Essentials | $17 month Essential |
| Tier 3 | $20 month Standard | N/A |
| Tier 4 | $350 month Premium | N/A |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Mailchimp pricing and Mailjet pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Both are freemium. Compare plans on their websites.
Go with: Mailchimp
Want the highest-rated option?
Mailchimp: 3.9/5 (31,952 reviews). Mailjet: 4.1/5 (631 reviews).
Go with: Mailjet
Value user reviews?
Mailchimp: 31,952 reviews (3.9/5). Mailjet: 631 reviews (4.1/5).
Go with: Mailchimp
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Both are freemium. Pricing won't help you decide here.
What's your use case?
Both are email marketing tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Mailjet is rated higher: 4.1/5 vs 3.9/5.
Key Takeaways
Mailchimp
- Larger review base (31,952 reviews)
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Mailjet
- Higher user rating: 4.1/5 vs 3.9/5
The Bottom Line
Mailchimp wins this matchup. Our overall Email Marketing pick is ActiveCampaign. Our free Email Marketing pick is ZeroBounce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mailchimp or Mailjet better?
Mailchimp is rated in our evaluation. Both are freemium.
What are Mailchimp and Mailjet used for?
Mailchimp: Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing. Mailjet: Email marketing and transactional email.
What does Mailchimp cost vs Mailjet?
Mailchimp is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Mailjet is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.