Pricing analysis
The Real Cost of Mailchimp (2026)
What Mailchimp actually costs at scale vs ConvertKit and Beehiiv — with a live calculator so you can plug in your real contact count.
Last verified:
Mailchimp’s “free forever” marketing is technically accurate and practically misleading. The free tier is capped at 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly sends, with Mailchimp branding on every email you send. For most operators, it’s a 90-day trial with no expiration date.
The real question is: what does Mailchimp cost when you’re actually using it — and how does that compare to the alternatives we recommend for creator-shaped businesses?
The live calculator
Live pricing calculator
Prices as of April 2026. Verify current vendor pricing before purchasing.
2,500 contacts
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | vs anchor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Mailchimp Automations + A/B testing included | — | — | — |
| Creator ConvertKit Free below 10k subs (no automations) | — | — | — |
| Scale Beehiiv Free up to 2,500 subscribers | — | — | — |
Tier pricing is a step function — slide to your real contact count to see the breakpoint you'll hit.
Three numbers that matter
The $2,500 cliff
At 2,500 contacts, Mailchimp Standard jumps from $26 to ~$45/mo. This is the first major breakpoint — and it’s where most small operators realize their “cheap” email tool isn’t so cheap anymore.
The $10k cliff
At 10,000 contacts, Mailchimp Standard is around $110/mo, ConvertKit Creator $139, Beehiiv Scale $42. Beehiiv’s price advantage becomes dramatic here — almost $800/yr savings vs Mailchimp, with more features for newsletter operators.
The $25k cliff
At 25,000 contacts you’re looking at $320/mo on Mailchimp, $299 on ConvertKit, $84 on Beehiiv. Three different businesses at this scale: Mailchimp if you’re e-commerce, ConvertKit if you’re a creator with automations, Beehiiv if you’re a pure newsletter.
When Mailchimp is still right
We’re not trying to talk you off Mailchimp. If any of these describe you, stay:
- You run e-commerce and your cart integrates with Mailchimp out of the box.
- Your audience will stay under 1,500 contacts for the foreseeable future.
- You use the transactional email (Mandrill add-on) alongside broadcast.
- Your team already knows the UI and you’re not the one picking the tool.
When to switch
The migration decision usually hits at one of three moments:
- You cross 2,500 contacts and the bill more than doubles.
- You try to build an automation longer than 4 steps and the UI fights you.
- You realize you’re paying for “contacts” that unsubscribed three years ago.
The migration reality
Moving list data is easy (CSV export/import works fine). Moving automations is the hard part — every platform represents automation differently, and you’ll rebuild them, not translate them. Budget a weekend for the migration, not an afternoon.
We’ll publish dedicated migration guides for both paths (Mailchimp → ConvertKit, Mailchimp → Beehiiv) under /guides/. For now: if you’re under 1,000 contacts, migrate now and never look back. If you’re over 10,000 and heavily automated, schedule it for the next quiet quarter.
Sources
Pricing captured from vendor websites on the last-verified date above. These calculators are approximations — vendors adjust pricing tiers several times per year. If you spot a tier that doesn’t match what you see on the vendor’s site, email us and we’ll update.