ConvertKit offers a significantly more generous free plan (10,000 subscribers vs 250) with unlimited emails, making it ideal for creators, while Mailchimp provides broader marketing features (social media, landing pages, postcards) and deeper automation for established businesses willing to pay.
ConvertKit (Kit) vs Mailchimp — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Creator-focused email marketing platform with unlimited sends, content tools, and commerce features.
Marketing automation and email platform with drag-and-drop campaigns and audience segmentation.
Free Plan Subscriber Limit. Free Plan Monthly Email Limit. G2 Review Score. Built-in Commerce Features. Additional Marketing Tools. Overage Fees Structure. Target User Base
Choose ConvertKit (Kit) if you're a creator or solopreneur who wants a generous free plan, straightforward email marketing, and native commerce features without surprise overage fees. Choose Mailchimp if you're an established business needing comprehensive marketing automation, social media integration, advanced segmentation, and don't mind paying for growth beyond the free tier.
ConvertKit (Kit): 10,000 | Mailchimp: 250
ConvertKit (Kit): Unlimited | Mailchimp: 500
ConvertKit (Kit): 4.4/5 | Mailchimp: 4.3/5
ConvertKit (Kit): Native digital product sales, affiliate tracking, paid newsletter | Mailchimp: Limited (abandoned cart via integrations)
ConvertKit (Kit): Email, landing pages, opt-in forms | Mailchimp: Email, basic social
ConvertKit (Kit): None - unlimited emails | Mailchimp: Yes - charges per contact/send overages
ConvertKit (Kit): Good selection (Zapier, WordPress, Shopify, Stripe) | Mailchimp: 300+ integrations
ConvertKit (Kit): Creator Pro includes engagement trends, clicks, deliverability, purchases | Mailchimp: Comprehensive campaign performance and subscriber insights
ConvertKit (Kit): 10,000 subscribers | Mailchimp: 250 contacts
ConvertKit (Kit): Unlimited | Mailchimp: 1,000 emails/month
ConvertKit (Kit): Unlimited across all plans | Mailchimp: Capped by contact tier multipliers
ConvertKit (Kit): 600,000 creators | Mailchimp: 13 million users
ConvertKit (Kit): 4.4/5 stars | Mailchimp: 4.3/5 stars
ConvertKit (Kit): Basic contact management | Mailchimp: Full CRM suite with advanced segmentation
ConvertKit (Kit): Native commerce platform included | Mailchimp: Limited e-commerce via integrations
Price Scaling Factor at 5,000 Subscribers
ConvertKit (Kit): Linear predictable growth | Mailchimp: Steep 3-4x multiplier
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 5 channels
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (500 contacts)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 7 (moderate to high)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Sophisticated data-driven rules
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Yes, varies by plan
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Yes, with international expansion
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $0-$20
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Free on all plans
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Not available
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Basic (Customer Journey Builder)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: A/B testing and design testing (free)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: More extensive platform coverage
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Basic contact management
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Beginner-friendly
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 1,200+
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Basic personalization features
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Available but less intuitive setup
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Full SMS suite with 2026 international expansion
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Legacy interface, steep learning curve
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Full native CRM platform integrated
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $13/month
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $50-70/month
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $100/month
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Limited core features only
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Extensive design variety and customization
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Standard audience segmentation
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Basic contact data syncing
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 1,000-5,000
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: No (API integration only)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (added 2026, supports international markets)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 1-2 hours
Contact List Size Limit (Standard Pricing)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited growth with pro-rated pricing
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 500 contacts
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Basic add-on CRM
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Manual segmentation only
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Minimal (intuitive interface)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Standard quarterly updates
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Yes, full CRM suite
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Email, SMS, landing pages, ads
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Moderate, marketing-focused
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 10-20 minutes
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 300,000 (based on plan)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $13/month (Essentials)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $800/month (100,000 contacts)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Full-featured free plan
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (up to 500 contacts)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Modern and professional
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Advanced automation included
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Third-party integrations
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Transactional email and small business
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (drag-and-drop, AI-assisted)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Full CRM with customer profiles
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 1000+
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: All paid plans
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 3.8/5
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 500 (free) / 5,000 (paid)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 0.08 months (1 hour)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 3 (Salesforce, HubSpot, custom)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Behavioral segmentation only
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 2/10 (simple)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 12-24 hours (business hours)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Basic (list segmentation only)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: ~5 basic automations
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: No (Zapier third-party only)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 1 (beginner-friendly)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $0 (free tier)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 7.8/10
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 500 free contacts
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: None (requires third-party solutions)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited (with 10k contacts max)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Not applicable (subscriber-based)
Starter Tier Monthly Cost (50k contacts)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $350/month
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 250ms
Automation Workflow Steps (Free/Starter Tier)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited (standard feature)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited (with pricing increase)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Unlimited (all plans)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Business hours (paid plans)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 10 calls/second
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $50-100
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 0% (you handle payments)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Advanced (conditional, behavioral triggers)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: No (third-party required)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Yes (subject lines, send time)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Included in paid plans
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 30+ (payment processor + Mailchimp config)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $0 (free tier) or $20 (Pro)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Not offered (email-focused)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Not offered
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 96–98%
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 3 (email, SMS via paid add-on, social)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 0.5-2 hours (no code required)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $70/month
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Limited (up to 5-10 per plan tier)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $0.01-0.05 per SMS
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 100+ templates
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 4-6 weeks
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $2–$7 (plan-dependent)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 1,000/month
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 0.5–1 hour (UI-based)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Advanced (subject, send time, content)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Manual review required
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: Full CRM with segmentation, tagging, custom fields
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $200–$350 (based on tier)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $0.01 (SMS add-on)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: $20 (Standard plan)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 45+ countries
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 1,000+ templates
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 1 day (no-code signup)
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 99.99%
ConvertKit (Kit): N/A | Mailchimp: 12M+ users (2025)
How to choose between ConvertKit (Kit) and Mailchimp
ConvertKit (Kit) vs Mailchimp — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for ConvertKit (Kit) vs Mailchimp. Contains 140 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
ConvertKit (Kit) vs Mailchimp — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for ConvertKit (Kit) vs Mailchimp.
Which platform has the better free plan for new creators?
ConvertKit's free plan is dramatically more generous: it supports 10,000 subscribers with unlimited emails per month, compared to Mailchimp's 250 contacts with only 500 emails/month. This means ConvertKit's free plan is 40x larger and has no send limits, making it ideal for creators testing email marketing without paying.
Will I face unexpected costs if my list grows?
ConvertKit has no overage fees—you only pay for the plan tier your subscriber count reaches. Mailchimp, however, charges overages if you exceed your contact or email send limits on paid plans, which can add up quickly for growing lists. This makes ConvertKit more predictable for scaling.
Which is better for e-commerce businesses?
Mailchimp offers more e-commerce automation out of the box (abandoned cart recovery, product recommendations, upsell sequences), while ConvertKit focuses on digital products and has native affiliate tracking. Mailchimp is better for traditional e-commerce; ConvertKit is better for digital creators selling courses, ebooks, or memberships.
Can I use both platforms' free plans to test before paying?
Yes, but ConvertKit's free plan will let you grow much further before hitting limits. With ConvertKit's 10,000 free subscriber cap and unlimited sends, you can validate a substantial audience. Mailchimp's 250-contact limit means you'll likely need to upgrade sooner, especially with the 500 email/month cap.
Which platform integrates better with other tools?
Mailchimp has significantly more native integrations (300+) and deeper e-commerce platform integration (WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce). ConvertKit integrates well via Zapier and has native Shopify/Stripe support, but if you need extensive third-party connections, Mailchimp is the better choice.
How to Choose Between ConvertKit (Kit) and Mailchimp
Free Plan Subscriber Limit: ConvertKit (Kit) has 10,000 subscribers, while Mailchimp has 250 contacts.
Free Plan Monthly Email Limit: ConvertKit (Kit) has Unlimited emails, while Mailchimp has 500 emails/month.
G2 Review Score: ConvertKit (Kit) has 4.4/5, while Mailchimp has 4.3/5.
Built-in Commerce Features: ConvertKit (Kit) has Yes (native e-commerce), while Mailchimp has Limited (integrations only).
Additional Marketing Tools: ConvertKit (Kit) has Email, landing pages, opt-in forms, while Mailchimp has Email, landing pages, social media ads, postcards, automation.
Overage Fees Structure: ConvertKit (Kit) has No overage fees, while Mailchimp has Charges overages on contacts/sends.
Target User Base: ConvertKit (Kit) has Content creators, solopreneurs, while Mailchimp has Small to mid-size businesses.