Mailchimp vs ConvertKit vs Brevo

30-Second Answer

Choose Mailchimp if you are a small business needing beautiful templates and ecommerce integrations. Choose ConvertKit if you are a creator who needs tag-based automation and digital product sales. Choose Brevo if you want the best value with email + SMS + CRM in one platform. Brevo wins 4/10, ConvertKit wins 3/10, Mailchimp wins 3/10.

Mailchimp — The Household Name

Mailchimp is the most recognized email marketing brand with 13M+ users. Its strength is polish: beautiful templates, a powerful drag-and-drop editor, and deep ecommerce integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. The Customer Journey builder visualizes multi-step automations. Since the Intuit acquisition, it is evolving into an all-in-one marketing platform with social posting, ads, and a basic CRM.

Best for: Small businesses selling products online who need beautiful emails and ecommerce tracking.
Biggest weakness: Getting expensive. Pricing increased 20%+ since the Intuit acquisition. The free plan went from 2,000 contacts to 500.

ConvertKit (Kit) — The Creator's Tool

ConvertKit was built by a creator (Nathan Barry) for creators. The tag-based system replaces lists with flexible subscriber tagging. Visual automations trigger based on purchases, clicks, or tags. Built-in digital product sales, paid newsletters, and tip jars mean creators earn directly without external tools. Email deliverability is exceptional because the platform encourages plain-text, high-engagement emails.

Best for: Bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, course creators, and anyone selling digital products.
Biggest weakness: Minimal email templates by design. Not ideal for product businesses needing rich visual emails or ecommerce tracking.

Brevo — The Value Powerhouse

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is the best value in email marketing. By charging per email sent instead of per subscriber, businesses with large lists save 50-70% compared to Mailchimp. Beyond email, Brevo includes SMS marketing, WhatsApp campaigns, a full CRM with deal pipeline, live chat, and transactional emails in one platform. The free plan with 300 emails/day and unlimited contacts is the most generous in the industry.

Best for: Budget-conscious businesses, companies needing email + SMS + CRM, and those with large subscriber lists.
Biggest weakness: Templates and editor are not as polished as Mailchimp. Fewer third-party integrations than competitors.

Is ConvertKit better than Mailchimp for creators?

Yes. Tag-based subscribers, visual automation, built-in digital product sales, and paid newsletter features make it purpose-built for creators. Mailchimp is better for product businesses.

Is Brevo cheaper than Mailchimp?

Significantly. Brevo charges per email sent ($9/5K emails, unlimited contacts). For large lists with moderate send frequency, expect 50-70% savings vs Mailchimp.

Which has the best free plan?

Brevo: 300 emails/day with unlimited contacts. Mailchimp: 500 contacts, 1K emails/month. ConvertKit: 10K subscribers but limited automation.

Editor's Take

Mailchimp used to be the automatic recommendation, but their pricing increases have pushed me toward Brevo for most small business clients. For my own newsletter, I use ConvertKit because the tag-based system is just smarter than list-based. Brevo is the dark horse that deserves more attention, especially if you are paying Mailchimp $50+/month.

Ready to pick your email platform?

All three offer free plans. Start sending today.