Mailchimp Pricing 2026
All plans compared — updated June 2026
AI-powered email marketing and automation for growing businesses
Essentials
- 500 contacts
- 5,000 emails/mo
- A/B testing
- Custom branding
- 24/7 chat support
Standard
- 500 contacts
- 6,000 emails/mo
- Send-time optimization
- Behavioral targeting
- AI content
Is Mailchimp Worth It?
Pros
- Best-in-class free tier for early-stage businesses
- AI content and send-time optimization on affordable plans
- 5000+ integrations via native and Zapier
- Industry-leading deliverability reputation
Cons
- ✗Pricing scales steeply with list size
- ✗Premium plan is expensive for large lists
- ✗Interface can feel cluttered for new users
Who Is Mailchimp Best For?
Mailchimp Pricing FAQ
Is Mailchimp really free?
Yes — Mailchimp's free plan supports up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month indefinitely. It is one of the most generous free tiers in email marketing.
How does Mailchimp compare to ConvertKit?
Mailchimp is better for e-commerce and multi-channel marketing. ConvertKit is better for creators and simple newsletter automation. Mailchimp has a better free tier; ConvertKit has simpler automation.
Does Mailchimp have AI features?
Yes — Standard and Premium plans include AI content generation, send-time optimization, and predictive segmentation. These features are improving with each platform update.
What happens when you exceed 500 contacts on the free plan?
You will be prompted to upgrade to a paid plan. Mailchimp charges based on list size — pricing scales significantly as your list grows past 500 contacts.
Ready to get started with Mailchimp?
Start free — no credit card required.