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The Verdict
Omnisend wins for ecommerce businesses due to its superior automation, built-in SMS, and ecommerce integrations.
Mailchimp works better for general marketing needs but has become overpriced for most users. Before making your final decision, check my Omnisend Pricing and Mailchimp Pricing pages for the latest plan details and features included per tier.
If neither feels right, explore Omnisend alternatives or Mailchimp alternatives.
Choose Omnisend if
- +Ecommerce stores needing SMS + email
- +Businesses wanting pre-built automation workflows
- +Users requiring deep platform integrations
- +Companies prioritizing deliverability and ROI
Choose Mailchimp if
- +General marketing campaigns beyond ecommerce
- +Businesses needing basic email marketing
- +Teams wanting familiar interface
- +Organizations using other Intuit products
Pricing
Which one costs more?
Here's how the pricing compares across similar tiers: For the full plan-by-plan breakdown with annual discounts, see my Omnisend Pricing and Mailchimp Pricing guides.
| Plan / Tier | Omnisend | Mailchimp | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Free | Free | Omnisend: 15k emails/mo, Mailchimp: 1k emails/mo |
| Entry Level | $16/mo | $13/mo | Both include email automation and templates |
| Standard/Pro | $59/mo | $20/mo | Advanced features and higher send limits |
| Enterprise | Custom | $350+/mo | Custom pricing vs fixed premium pricing |
Buddy's Take on Pricing
While Mailchimp appears cheaper upfront, Omnisend provides better value when you factor in included SMS and ecommerce features. Mailchimp's pricing escalates quickly, and SMS costs extra. For ecommerce businesses, Omnisend's higher price includes more relevant features. Keep in mind that the cheapest plan is not always the best value.
Consider which features you actually need and how pricing changes as your subscriber list grows. My Omnisend Pricing and Mailchimp Pricing pages have the complete tier-by-tier breakdowns.
Features
Capability comparison
Mailchimp markets itself as an all-in-one marketing platform. Omnisend markets itself as the e-commerce email tool. For online stores, Omnisend's product picker, dynamic discount codes, and Shopify-native workflows create a tighter integration than Mailchimp can match. For businesses outside e-commerce, Mailchimp's broader toolkit and massive integration library pull ahead.
| Capability | Omnisend | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Email Builder | ★ | ★ |
| SMS Marketing | ★ | ○ |
| Ecommerce Automation | ★ | ● |
| A/B Testing | ★ | ★ |
| Platform Integrations | ★ | ★ |
| Segmentation | ★ | ● |
| Customer Support | ★ | ● |
| Mobile Optimization | ★ | ★ |
| Reporting & Analytics | ★ | ★ |
| Landing Pages | ○ | ★ |
| Free Plan Generosity | ● | ○ |
The biggest difference lies in ecommerce focus. Omnisend includes SMS marketing at no extra cost and provides pre-built automation workflows specifically designed for online stores. Their abandoned cart recovery, welcome series, and post-purchase campaigns work out of the box. Mailchimp requires additional setup and charges separately for SMS.
Both platforms excel at email creation and basic automation, but Omnisend's segmentation handles ecommerce data better. You can segment by purchase behavior, browsing history, and customer lifetime value without complex setup. Mailchimp's segmentation is powerful but requires more manual configuration.
Mailchimp wins on general marketing features like landing pages and broader integrations. However, most ecommerce businesses won't need these extras, making Omnisend's focused approach more valuable for online retailers.
Who It's For
Who should choose which?
Choose Omnisend if you...
- +You run an ecommerce business
- +You want SMS included without extra cost
- +You need pre-built ecommerce automations
- +You prioritize deliverability and support
- +You want better ROI tracking
Choose Mailchimp if you...
- +You're not selling products online
- +You need extensive landing page tools
- +You're already using Intuit products
- +You want the most integrations possible
- +You prefer familiar, mainstream tools
Final recommendation
The bottom line
For ecommerce businesses, Omnisend is the clear winner. Its ecommerce focus, included SMS, and pre-built automations deliver better results with less setup time. The platform understands online retail needs and builds features accordingly. Mailchimp works better for service businesses, bloggers, or companies doing general marketing campaigns.
However, its pricing has become less competitive, and the platform feels bloated for most users' actual needs. If you're unsure, try Omnisend's free plan first. The 15,000 monthly emails and ecommerce features give you a real taste of what the platform offers. Most online store owners find it meets their needs better than Mailchimp's general approach.
If neither Omnisend nor Mailchimp feels like exactly what you need, browse my best email marketing software roundup for a wider look at the market.
I also have dedicated pages for Omnisend alternatives and Mailchimp alternatives if you want to explore platforms that compete directly with either option.
For similar head-to-head matchups, check out beehiiv vs Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor vs Mailchimp, Kit vs Mailchimp.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
For ecommerce businesses, yes. Omnisend includes SMS marketing, ecommerce automations, and better deliverability at a competitive price.
Mailchimp appears cheaper initially, but Omnisend offers better value when you include SMS and ecommerce features that cost extra with Mailchimp.
Yes, Omnisend offers free migration tools and support to help transfer your contacts, campaigns, and automations from Mailchimp.
Yes, SMS is included in all Omnisend plans at no extra cost. Mailchimp charges separately for SMS.
Omnisend wins with pre-built ecommerce automations, better segmentation for online stores, and native integrations with major ecommerce platforms.
For non-ecommerce businesses needing general email marketing, possibly. But for online stores, Omnisend offers better specialized features and value.
Omnisend provides 24/7 support on all plans and has won awards for customer service. Mailchimp's support varies by plan level.
More on these tools
Joonas Rotko
Author & founder of That Marketing Buddy
I score marketing software for AI-stack fit (MCP, API, agent-readiness), backed by 10+ years in digital marketing. This comparison is based on structured data from 60+ tools in the marketing software category.
This page may contain affiliate links. I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never influences the comparison.
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