Mailchimp is no longer the automatic best choice for every email marketing team. It still works well for simple newsletters, but many businesses now get better pricing, stronger automation, or sharper ecommerce tools from platforms such as Brevo, MailerLite, Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign, and Omnisend.
TLDR: Small businesses that want low costs should compare Brevo and MailerLite first. Ecommerce brands often get better sales tracking from Klaviyo or Omnisend; for example, a store with 25,000 contacts may pay less with Omnisend than Mailchimp once SMS and automation are included. Teams that need advanced customer journeys should shortlist ActiveCampaign, while sales-led companies may prefer HubSpot. The best pick depends on list size, automation needs, and how much time the team can spend setting things up.
Why Businesses Search for Mailchimp Alternatives
Mailchimp became popular because it made email marketing feel simple. Templates looked clean. Signup forms were easy. Reports were clear enough for small teams.
That said, many users now complain about pricing jumps, limited support on lower plans, and confusing feature gates. Honestly, it feels like some basic tasks take more clicks than they should. A marketer may spend six or seven clicks adjusting an automation step that feels like it should take two.
The main reasons companies switch include:
- Higher costs as contact lists grow.
- Limited automation compared with more focused tools.
- Ecommerce gaps for stores that need deeper product and revenue data.
- Support concerns, especially for smaller accounts.
- Cleaner workflow in newer email tools.
Best Mailchimp Alternatives Compared
1. Brevo: Best for Affordable Email and SMS
Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, suits small businesses that want email, SMS, simple CRM features, and automation without a huge bill. Its pricing is based more on email volume than contact count, which can help companies with large lists that send less often.
Best for: service businesses, local companies, startups, and teams with mixed email and SMS needs.
Strengths:
- Good free plan for early use.
- SMS and WhatsApp options in some regions.
- Contact storage can be more forgiving than Mailchimp.
- Basic CRM tools are included.
Weak spot: template design and reporting can feel less polished than premium tools.
2. MailerLite: Best for Simple Newsletters
MailerLite is one of the cleanest Mailchimp alternatives for creators, bloggers, coaches, and small companies. It keeps the interface light and easy. That matters when a small team has no dedicated email specialist.
It includes landing pages, email automation, popups, forms, and paid newsletter options. The editor is simple, and the learning curve is mild.
Best for: newsletters, creators, nonprofits, and early-stage brands.
Strengths:
- Simple editor and clean templates.
- Good value for smaller lists.
- Landing pages and forms included.
- Helpful automation for welcome flows and nurture emails.
Weak spot: advanced ecommerce tracking is not as deep as Klaviyo or Omnisend.
3. Klaviyo: Best for Ecommerce Growth
Klaviyo is built for online stores. It connects strongly with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and similar platforms. It tracks products viewed, carts abandoned, orders placed, and customer lifetime value.
A fashion store, for example, can send a VIP discount to customers who spent over $500 in the past 180 days. It can also send win-back emails only to shoppers who bought shoes but not accessories. That level of targeting is hard to beat.
Best for: ecommerce brands that want revenue-focused automation.
Strengths:
- Excellent segmentation.
- Strong Shopify integration.
- Email and SMS in one platform.
- Detailed revenue reports.
Weak spot: costs rise fast as lists grow. Smaller stores may feel the squeeze.
4. ActiveCampaign: Best for Advanced Automation
ActiveCampaign is a strong choice for companies that care about detailed customer journeys. It combines email marketing, automation, CRM, lead scoring, and sales pipelines.
It is suitable for B2B firms, consultants, agencies, SaaS companies, and education providers. A team can score leads based on page visits, email clicks, webinar signups, and sales calls.
Best for: businesses with longer sales cycles and advanced funnel needs.
Strengths:
- Powerful automation builder.
- Built-in CRM options.
- Strong tagging and segmentation.
- Good for lead nurturing.
Weak spot: setup can take time. Expect to waste time on naming rules and tag cleanup if the team rushes migration.
5. Omnisend: Best for Small and Mid-Sized Online Stores
Omnisend is another ecommerce-first alternative. It supports email, SMS, push notifications, product recommendations, and prebuilt automation workflows.
Many store owners like its ready-made flows for abandoned carts, order confirmation, cross-sells, and customer reactivation. This can save hours compared with building everything from scratch.
Best for: Shopify and WooCommerce stores that want quick ecommerce automation.
Strengths:
- Prebuilt ecommerce workflows.
- Email, SMS, and push notifications.
- Easy product picker.
- Clear revenue attribution.
Weak spot: may feel too commerce-focused for service firms or publishers.
6. Constant Contact: Best for Local Businesses and Events
Constant Contact has been around for years and remains useful for local businesses, associations, churches, and event-driven teams. It offers email campaigns, forms, social posting, surveys, and event features.
Best for: local organizations that need dependable email and simple event promotion.
Strengths:
- Beginner-friendly tools.
- Event marketing features.
- Phone support on many plans.
- Decent template library.
Weak spot: automation is not as advanced as ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo.
7. HubSpot: Best for Sales and Marketing Alignment
HubSpot is more than an email tool. It offers CRM, forms, landing pages, ads, sales tools, service tools, and reporting. For companies that want marketing and sales data in one place, it can be a smart pick.
The free CRM is attractive, but paid tiers can become expensive. Internal teams should check pricing closely before moving a large contact database.
Best for: B2B companies, sales teams, and growing firms that need a full CRM setup.
Strengths:
- Excellent CRM connection.
- Strong reporting across sales and marketing.
- Good landing page and form tools.
- Useful for lead management.
Weak spot: pricing can climb quickly with advanced features.
Quick Comparison Table
| Platform | Best Use Case | Main Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Brevo | Budget email and SMS | Flexible pricing |
| MailerLite | Newsletters and creators | Easy interface |
| Klaviyo | Ecommerce growth | Deep customer data |
| ActiveCampaign | Advanced automation | Powerful workflows |
| Omnisend | Online stores | Ready-made ecommerce flows |
| Constant Contact | Local businesses | Simple event tools |
| HubSpot | Sales and marketing teams | Built-in CRM |
How to Choose the Right Mailchimp Alternative
The best option depends on the team’s real workflow, not just feature lists. A newsletter creator may need speed and clean templates. An ecommerce brand may care most about abandoned cart revenue. A B2B firm may need CRM syncing and lead scoring.
Before switching, a company should review:
- Contact count: Pricing often changes sharply after certain list sizes.
- Sending volume: Some tools charge by emails sent, others by subscribers.
- Automation needs: Simple welcome flows are not the same as multi-step sales journeys.
- Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Salesforce, WordPress, and payment tools should be checked.
- Support: Live chat or phone support can save hours during a launch.
- Migration work: Tags, segments, forms, and automations must be rebuilt or imported.
For the broadest value, MailerLite is a great Mailchimp alternative for simple email marketing. Brevo is strong for price-sensitive teams. Klaviyo and Omnisend are better for ecommerce. ActiveCampaign wins when automation depth matters most.
FAQ
What is the best overall Mailchimp alternative?
MailerLite is often the best all-around choice for small businesses because it is simple, affordable, and easy to learn. Ecommerce brands should also compare Klaviyo and Omnisend.
Which Mailchimp alternative is cheapest?
Brevo and MailerLite are usually among the most affordable options. The cheapest choice depends on contact count and monthly sending volume.
Which platform is best for ecommerce email marketing?
Klaviyo is one of the strongest options for ecommerce analytics and customer segmentation. Omnisend is also a strong pick for stores that want email, SMS, and push notifications.
Is HubSpot better than Mailchimp?
HubSpot is better when a company needs CRM, sales tracking, landing pages, and email in one system. Mailchimp may still be simpler for basic newsletters.
Should a business leave Mailchimp?
A business should consider switching if costs feel too high, automation feels limited, or ecommerce reporting is not detailed enough. Staying with Mailchimp still makes sense for teams that already have working campaigns and do not need deeper features.