Mailchimp vs MailerLite: free plans, automations and price compared

Prices checked on the official pricing pages on . Prices are in US dollars and can change at any time.

The short answer

Both free plans stop at 250 contacts, but MailerLite allows 2,500 emails a month (Mailchimp 500) and includes automations, which Mailchimp's free plan doesn't. Mailchimp's strength is its range of integrations, especially for online shops.

Choose Mailchimp if

  • You need a specific Mailchimp integration
  • You run an online shop that already connects to Mailchimp
  • Your team already knows its editor

Choose MailerLite if

  • You want a free welcome sequence
  • You send more than 500 emails a month on a free plan
  • You want the cheaper paid plan

Mailchimp vs MailerLite, side by side

MailchimpMailerLite
PriceEssentials from $13 a month, Standard from $20 (introductory prices shown when we checked; the price rises with your contact count).Comfort from $12 a month and Power from $25 a month at the lowest subscriber tier; about 10% less billed yearly.
Free planUp to 250 contacts and 500 emails a month (250 a day). Mailchimp branding stays on, and marketing automation flows aren't included.Up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, 2 seats, automations, a landing page and sign-up forms. Removing the MailerLite logo needs a paid plan.
Best forSmall shops that want email, landing pages and e-commerce integrations from one well-known brand.Small businesses that want a welcome sequence without paying yet.
Works onWeb browser, iPhone and iPad, AndroidWeb browser
Open sourceNoNo
Pros
  • Huge library of integrations
  • Familiar, well-documented editor
  • Automations included free
  • Cheapest paid plan among the main tools
Cons
  • Free plan stops at 250 contacts and 500 emails a month
  • No automation flows on the free plan
  • Free plan is capped at 250 subscribers
  • MailerLite branding stays on free emails
Key features
  • Email campaigns and templates
  • Landing pages and sign-up forms
  • Automation flows (paid plans)
  • Many e-commerce integrations
  • Automations on the free plan
  • Landing page and sign-up forms
  • Sell a digital product or take a booking
  • 100+ integrations
LinksAlternatives
Mailchimp website		Alternatives
MailerLite website

Prices checked on the official pricing pages on . Prices are in US dollars and can change at any time.

Neither quite right?

Other email marketing and newsletters tools worth a look:

  • Kit (formerly ConvertKit): An email platform for creators, with a free plan that goes up to 10,000 subscribers. From $33/mo, free plan.
  • Brevo: An email and SMS platform (formerly Sendinblue) that prices by emails sent rather than contacts. From $9/mo, free plan.
  • beehiiv: A newsletter platform with a website, podcast hosting and a recommendation network built in. From $49/mo, free plan.

Sources

Official pages we checked for the prices, plans and limits on this page:

How we choose and check these tools

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