Mailchimp is the better choice for small businesses and beginners with its free tier, simpler interface, and lower pricing for basic email marketing. ActiveCampaign is built for growing businesses needing advanced marketing automation, CRM integration, and AI-powered workflows at a higher cost.
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Accessible email marketing and automation platform for small businesses, e-commerce, and creators.
Enterprise-grade CRM and marketing automation platform with integrated sales and service tools.
Best For. Pricing for Basic Email. Marketing Automation Depth. AI Email Generation. Landing Page Builder Cost. Learning Curve. eCommerce Reporting
Choose Mailchimp if you're a small business or startup prioritizing simplicity, affordability, and ease of use with a free tier that covers basic email marketing and landing pages. Choose ActiveCampaign if your business has outgrown basic email marketing and requires sophisticated automation, CRM capabilities, AI-powered workflows, and advanced list management—accepting the steeper learning curve and higher cost.
Mailchimp: 5 channels | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes (500 contacts) | ActiveCampaign: No (14-day trial only)
Mailchimp: 7 (moderate to high) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Sophisticated data-driven rules | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes, varies by plan | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes, with international expansion | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $13 (paid) / $0 (free tier) | ActiveCampaign: $9
Mailchimp: Free on all plans | ActiveCampaign: Plus plan ($99+/month) and above
Mailchimp: Not available | ActiveCampaign: AI-generated email drafts included
Mailchimp: Basic (Customer Journey Builder) | ActiveCampaign: Advanced - conditional branching, multi-step, custom logic
Mailchimp: A/B testing and design testing (free) | ActiveCampaign: A/B testing and spam testing
Mailchimp: More extensive platform coverage | ActiveCampaign: Limited platform support
Mailchimp: Basic contact management | ActiveCampaign: Native CRM with advanced features
Mailchimp: Beginner-friendly | ActiveCampaign: Experienced marketers preferred
Mailchimp: Limited (abandoned cart via integrations) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes - charges per contact/send overages | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Comprehensive campaign performance and subscriber insights | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic personalization features | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Available but less intuitive setup | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Full SMS suite with 2026 international expansion | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Legacy interface, steep learning curve | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Full native CRM platform integrated | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 300+ (general purpose) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $13/month | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $50-70/month | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $100/month | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Limited core features only | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Extensive design variety and customization | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Standard audience segmentation | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic contact data syncing | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 1,000-5,000 | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: No (API integration only) | ActiveCampaign: Yes - full sales pipeline, deal tracking
Mailchimp: Yes (added 2026, supports international markets) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 45 minutes | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Contact List Size Limit (Standard Pricing)
Mailchimp: Unlimited growth with pro-rated pricing | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 250 contacts | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 1,000 emails/month | ActiveCampaign: None (paid only)
Mailchimp: Capped by contact tier multipliers | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 12+ million users | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 4.3/5 stars | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Full CRM suite with advanced segmentation | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Limited e-commerce via integrations | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Price Scaling Factor at 5,000 Subscribers
Mailchimp: Steep 3-4x multiplier | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 500 contacts | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic add-on CRM | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Manual segmentation only | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Email, basic social | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Minimal (intuitive interface) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Standard quarterly updates | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes, full CRM suite | ActiveCampaign: Full CRM with pipeline, forecasting, and scoring
Mailchimp: Email, SMS, landing pages, ads | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Moderate, marketing-focused | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 10-20 minutes | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 300,000 (based on plan) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $13/month (Essentials) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $800/month (100,000 contacts) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Full-featured free plan | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes (up to 500 contacts) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Modern and professional | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced automation included | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Third-party integrations | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Transactional email and small business | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes (drag-and-drop, AI-assisted) | ActiveCampaign: No (forms only)
Mailchimp: Full CRM with customer profiles | ActiveCampaign: Full CRM with sales pipelines and deal tracking
Mailchimp: All paid plans | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 500 (free) / 5,000 (paid) | ActiveCampaign: 500
Mailchimp: 0.08 months (1 hour) | ActiveCampaign: 1-2 weeks
Mailchimp: 3 (Salesforce, HubSpot, custom) | ActiveCampaign: 4+ (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, native)
Mailchimp: Behavioral segmentation only | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 2/10 (simple) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Email-based, no SLA | ActiveCampaign: 24 hours (email)
Mailchimp: Basic (list segmentation only) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: ~5 basic automations | ActiveCampaign: Advanced (conditional logic, multi-branch)
Mailchimp: No (Zapier third-party only) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 1 (beginner-friendly) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 7.8/10 | ActiveCampaign: 3.9/5
Mailchimp: 300+ | ActiveCampaign: 10,000+
Mailchimp: 500 free contacts | ActiveCampaign: No free tier
Mailchimp: None (requires third-party solutions) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Unlimited (with 10k contacts max) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Not applicable (subscriber-based) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Starter Tier Monthly Cost (50k contacts)
Mailchimp: $350/month | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Automation Workflow Steps (Free/Starter Tier)
Mailchimp: Unlimited (standard feature) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Unlimited (with pricing increase) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Unlimited | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Limited basic sequences | ActiveCampaign: Unlimited with advanced conditional logic
Mailchimp: Phone support on paid plans only | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 10 calls/second | ActiveCampaign: 600 calls/min
Mailchimp: $50-100 | ActiveCampaign: $149 (Pro plan, unlimited)
Mailchimp: 0% (you handle payments) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced (conditional, behavioral triggers) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: No (third-party required) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes (subject lines, send time) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Included in paid plans | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 30+ (payment processor + Mailchimp config) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $0 (free tier) or $20 (Pro) | ActiveCampaign: $9 (Lite tier)
Mailchimp: Not offered (email-focused) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Not offered | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 5 (Email, SMS, Social Ads, Landing Pages, Postcards) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 1-2 (self-service) | ActiveCampaign: 4-8 weeks
Mailchimp: $70/month | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Limited (up to 5-10 per plan tier) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $0.01-0.05 per SMS | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 100+ templates | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 4-6 weeks | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $2–$7 (plan-dependent) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 0.5–1 hour (UI-based) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced (subject, send time, content) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Manual review required | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Full CRM with segmentation, tagging, custom fields | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $200–$350 (based on tier) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $0.01 (SMS add-on) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 500 contacts | ActiveCampaign: 1,000
Mailchimp: 45+ countries | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 100+ | ActiveCampaign: 200+ professional templates
Mailchimp: 1 day (no-code signup) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 12M+ users (2025) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Unlimited steps | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 1,000+ templates | ActiveCampaign: 500+ templates
Mailchimp: No (paid add-on) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Paid add-on | ActiveCampaign: Yes (paid add-on)
Mailchimp: 0% (SaaS model) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 300+ | ActiveCampaign: 500+ pre-built workflows
Mailchimp: 30-60 minutes | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 20 (1K-contact plan) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 20M+ users | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 500+ templates including AI-generated | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $20 additional per month | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced abandoned cart, product recommendations, dynamic pricing | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic automation on free plan | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced AI copywriter with subject line optimization | ActiveCampaign: Yes (all plans)
Mailchimp: $20/month | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 1,000+ templates | ActiveCampaign: 300+
Mailchimp: Not included | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Limited - basic integration support only | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced visual builder included | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 15-20 minutes | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $20/month | ActiveCampaign: $15/month
Mailchimp: 500 | ActiveCampaign: No free plan
Mailchimp: 300+ | ActiveCampaign: 1,000+
Mailchimp: List management only | ActiveCampaign: Full CRM with lead scoring, pipeline, forecasting
Mailchimp: Yes - iOS and Android | ActiveCampaign: Yes - iOS and Android
Mailchimp: Yes (drag-and-drop) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Available at higher tiers | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $30/month | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced (100+ triggers, unlimited branching) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 0 (Third-party only) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 5+ (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, others) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic contact segmentation, limited tagging, no pipeline management | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: None—email-focused platform only | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 300+ (native + Zapier) | ActiveCampaign: 1000+
Mailchimp: Automations available on free plan with customer journey builder | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 500,000+ | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Manual only | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Requires API/Zapier connectors | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 4 (email, SMS, ads, landing pages) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Limited on starter plans | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Premium+ ($350/month minimum) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: $200+ (plan dependent) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 5-10 (UI-based) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced (journey builder, behavioral triggers, A/B testing) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 10 (REST API) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Not available (segmentation only) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Third-party (Zapier) only | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: Unlimited free tier available | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 1 (last-click only) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: 500 (free), unlimited (paid) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: No, not available | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: $15/month
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: $49/month (Plus)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: $145/month
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2 (Marketing & CRM)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: $49/month
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Nearly identical ratings
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 1,000 contacts
Average eCommerce Email Revenue Per Send
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Not published
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: $9 (500 contacts)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: $385–$495
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full B2B/B2C CRM with lead scoring
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Available (add-on/integration)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Supported via marketplace
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 4,200% ROI (industry average)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Email, SMS, web, social, chat (native)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Unlimited
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full-featured with scoring
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2-4 weeks (with training)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Predictive sending, lead scoring
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Unlimited advanced workflows
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Moderate - requires learning
Starting Monthly Price (Annual Commitment)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Behavioral, manual, predictive (limited AI)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Yes (native)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2-5 days
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2-4 hour sync
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 10,000+
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Basic (via third-party apps)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 8-12% (varies by setup)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Yes (behavioral, predictive, dynamic)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2 (last-click, first-click)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced predictive with AI priority ranking
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 10-300 calls (tier-dependent)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 100+ (plan-dependent)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced with A/B testing, dynamic content, behavior triggers
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Predictive send time, contact scoring, revenue attribution
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Unlimited (500 contacts max)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced (deals, pipelines, forecasting)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Yes (all paid plans)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: $229/month
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2-4 weeks
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 100,000
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Limited functionality
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced AI-powered with predictive scoring
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 14 days
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: $549 (10 seats @ $35 + contact tier)
Marketing Automation Workflows (Pre-built)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Not included
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: All plans
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 4 hours
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 4-6 weeks
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: No - requires third-party integration
Mid-Tier Price (5K contacts/subscribers)
Enterprise Price (100K+ contacts/subscribers)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full deal pipelines with forecasting and attribution
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Separate add-on ($10+/month)
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full sales pipeline with deal tracking
Mailchimp: N/A | ActiveCampaign: 8/10 (steep)
How to choose between Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp. Contains 284 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp.
Which platform is best for a startup with zero email marketing experience?
Mailchimp is the clear winner for beginners. It offers a free tier supporting 500 contacts, an intuitive interface requiring minimal training, and all core features (landing pages, A/B testing, basic automation) included free. ActiveCampaign's steep learning curve and higher cost make it unsuitable for inexperienced users just starting out.
Does ActiveCampaign's AI email generation actually save time?
Yes, ActiveCampaign's AI-generated email drafts provide a solid starting point that significantly accelerates the creative process, especially for marketers managing multiple campaigns. Mailchimp offers no equivalent feature, requiring users to start from scratch or templates every time. This is a meaningful advantage if you're running high-volume campaigns.
How much does the landing page builder cost in ActiveCampaign?
ActiveCampaign's landing page builder is only available on the Plus plan ($99+/month) and higher tiers. Mailchimp includes landing page builder functionality free on all plans, including the free tier. This is a significant cost difference for small businesses needing this feature.
Which platform has better customer support?
Both offer email, live chat, and knowledge bases. ActiveCampaign has a slight edge with a Help icon accessible from any screen within the tool. Mailchimp requires going through the knowledge base first before accessing email/chat support, which adds friction but ensures users try self-service first.
Can I scale from Mailchimp to ActiveCampaign later without losing data?
Yes, both platforms support contact imports and exports, making migration feasible. However, ActiveCampaign's automation workflows cannot be directly ported from Mailchimp, so you'll need to rebuild custom automation rules. Plan for migration time and training if you upgrade.
How to Choose Between Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign
Best For: Mailchimp has Small businesses and beginners, while ActiveCampaign has Growing businesses needing automation.
Pricing for Basic Email: Mailchimp has More competitive (free tier available), while ActiveCampaign has Higher starting cost.
Marketing Automation Depth: Mailchimp has Basic Customer Journey Builder, while ActiveCampaign has Advanced automation with AI workflows.
AI Email Generation: Mailchimp has Not available, while ActiveCampaign has AI-generated email drafts included.
Landing Page Builder Cost: Mailchimp has Free for all plans, while ActiveCampaign has Plus plan or higher only.
Learning Curve: Mailchimp has Beginner-friendly, intuitive, while ActiveCampaign has Steep, requires marketing expertise.
eCommerce Reporting: Mailchimp has Available across more platforms, while ActiveCampaign has More limited platform support.