Mailchimp vs Brevo
Mailchimp bills by contact list size regardless of sending activity, while Brevo bills by monthly email sends with generous contact limits.
Choose Brevo if you maintain a large contact list (over 10,000) but send dispatches infrequently (1-2 times per month). Choose Mailchimp only if you depend strictly on its native e-commerce integrations and require complex multichannel automation.
Calculate Your Exact Rates
Interactive Volume Simulator
Drag sliders to test tier jumps, send ceilings, and overage limits.
| Platform | Rate (monthly) | Annual Total | Effective $/1k Sends | Capacity Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mailchimp(Standard) | $60/mo | $720/yr | $3.00 | ✓ Within Limits | Visit Mailchimp → |
Brevo(Starter)Best Value | $25/mo | $276/yr | $1.25 | ✓ Within Limits | Visit Brevo → |
MailerLite(Comfort)Best Value | $25/mo | $228/yr | $1.25 | ✓ Within Limits | Visit MailerLite → |
beehiiv(Scale) | $69/mo | $696/yr | $3.45 | ✓ Within Limits | Visit beehiiv → |
Kit(Creator) | $59/mo | $588/yr | $2.95 | ✓ Within Limits | Visit Kit → |
Structural Billing Differences
Mailchimp (Standard)
Billing Metric: contact_tiers_with_send_caps
Audited Date: 2026-09-14 ✓ Verified: Sep 14, 2026
Target Audience: Traditional SMBs & legacy e-commerce
Free Tier: Free up to 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo limit
Brevo (Starter)
Billing Metric: send_tiers_with_contact_cap
Audited Date: 2026-09-14 ✓ Verified: Sep 14, 2026
Target Audience: Businesses with large contact lists & moderate send frequency
Free Tier: Free up to 300 sends/day, unlimited contacts
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper for a list of 10,000 contacts?
Brevo is substantially cheaper. Storing 10,000 contacts on Mailchimp Standard costs $135/month ($1,620/year). On Brevo, sending 20,000 emails to that same list costs just $25/month ($300/year), saving you over $1,300 annually.
Does Mailchimp charge for unsubscribed contacts?
Yes. Mailchimp counts unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts toward your billing threshold unless you manually archive or permanently delete them from your audience.
Can I import unlimited contacts into Brevo Starter?
For sending tiers of 20,000 monthly emails and above, Brevo Starter supports up to 500,000 contacts at no additional charge.